Deficiency of which causes Beri-heri in Man. 55 



after 5 grm., and in a second case, not so severe as the first, a complete cure 

 was effected. Complete cures were obtained after doses of 8 and 10 grm. on 

 more than one occasion. 



Maize. 



A few trials have been made with maize embryo, which also has proved to 

 be very rich in anti-neuritic vitamine. In this cereal the embryo is 

 comparatively large, and it was easily picked out by hand, especially if 

 the grain were soaked in water overnight. After this treatment the 

 embryo amounted to 15 per cent, by weight of the entire grain. In the 

 case of maize, the plumule (shoot) and radicle (root) of the embryo can be 

 separated with ease from the scutellum, which organ is exceedingly large, 

 and amounts to about 12*5 per cent, of the soaked grain, while the plantlet 

 comprises the remaining 2"5 per cent. Both parts of the embryo, however, 

 proved to be receptacles of vitamine. Cures were achieved with 1 and 



2 grm. of the wetted plantlet (equivalent to 0"6 and 07 grm. dry weight 

 respectively). A complete cure, lasting 13 days, followed a dose of 2 grm. 

 (dry weight) of the entire germ (scutellum, plumule, and radicle), and a less 

 satisfactory result with 3 grm. (dry weight) of scutellum. Smaller quantities 

 than these were not' given, and it is hoped later to investigate this cereal 

 further. 



Relation hetween the Preventive Ration and the Curative Dose. 



A very curious result has emerged from the foregoing experiments, viz., 

 the very close approximation between the daily ration of wheat germ 

 required to prevent the onset of polyneuritis, and the dose necessary to cure 

 a bird in the acute condition. While 3 grm. must be added every second 

 day to a diet of polished rice, to prevent polyneuritis with certainty (see 

 Tables I and II), the curative dose is found to be only 2*5 grm., and in 

 exceptional cases 1 grm. sufficed. These curative doses cause disappearance 

 of polyneuritic symptoms, brought on by the exclusive diet of polished rice, 

 and the bird is usually maintained in good health for several days, not- 

 withstanding the deficiency in its food (see Table VI). After this period 

 recurrence of symptoms again takes place. 



This relation between the preventive ration and the curative dose is not 

 confined to any particular anti-neuritic substance, but appears to be general. 

 In case of a yeast-extract (water-content = 30 per cent.), the daily preventive 

 dose was found to be from 1 to 2 grm., and the curative dose from 2 to 



3 grm., occasionally 1 grm. This result is in accord with the observations of 

 Cooper, who (1913) found that 2-5 grm. pressed yeast (dry weight = 0'5 grm.), 

 given daily, would prevent polyneuritis in pigeons fed otherwise with 



