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Changes in the Teeth of the Guinea-pig, produced by a Scorbutic 



Diet. 



By S. S. ZiLVA, Ph.D., M.Sc, and F. M. Wells, Major, C.A.D.C. 



(Communicated by Dr. A. Harden, F.E.S. Received December 6, 1918.) 

 (From the Biochemical Department, Lister Institute, and the C.A.D.C. Laboratory.) 



[Plate 13.] 



The pathological anatomy of adult and infantile scurvy has received the 

 attention of many investigators at various times, and is now known in great 

 detail. Not only have the macroscopic but also the microscopic changes 

 been fully studied. Definite characteristic abnormalities in the tissues of the 

 bones, and at the costoehondral junctions and the epiphyseal lines in scorbutic 

 subjects, are well recognised. Although the gums are known to be greatly 

 affected in advanced cases of scurvy and the teeth become loose, there has 

 apparently been no chemical or histological work done liitherto on the 

 teeth, since no references to such work can be found in the literature. This 

 is most probably due to the fact that most of the histological work has been 

 carried out in infantile scurvy. 



During the last few years, research in scurvy has been greatly stimulated 

 by the discovery of the possibility of inducing experimental scurvy in 

 animals. Hoist and Frolich (1912) have shown that a pathological condition 

 analogous to scurvy in the human subject can be induced in guinea-pigs by 

 dietetic means. That the condition of the animals thus produced was really 

 scorbutic was further confirmed by the observations of these investigators 

 that it could be prevented by the addition of antiscorbutics to the deficient 

 diet. These observations have since been fully corroborated by many workers. 

 Hart and Lessing (1913) have further demonstrated that monkeys when fed 

 on a diet deficient in antiscorbutic develop scurvy. This has been confirmed 

 by Talbot, Dodd and Peterson (1913), and by Harden and Zilva (1919). 

 The latter investigators have also shown that a monkey suffering from 

 scurvy could be cured by administering an antiscorbutic. 



The present communication describes the changes observed in the 

 structure of the teeth of scorbutic guinea-pigs. One of us (S. S. Z.), being 

 engaged in an extensive investigation of experimental scurvy, was in a 

 position to examine many guinea-pigs and monkeys in a scorbutic condition. 

 It soon became apparent from the macroscopic appearance that the teeth 

 underwent a great change. Accordingly, Major Wells was consulted on the 



