"War Dropsy." 



121 



68 (1443). 



A preliminary note on the experimental production of edema as 

 related to "war dropsy ". 



By Emma A. Kohman (by invitation). 



[From the Hull Physiological Laboratory, The University of Chicago.] 



Denton and Kohman 1 report the occurrence of dropsy in a 

 large per cent, of rats fed on a carrot diet with a low percentage 

 of nitrogen. This dropsy is produced by a diet very similar to 

 that of man in certain war zones where "war dropsy" has been 

 reported. 



It was of interest to determine whether the case of the edema 

 was a lack of protein, rather than a deficiency of either of the vita- 

 mines, fat-soluble A, or water-soluble B, or a deficiency of salts in 

 the diet. 



The diets with which dropsy was produced in rats were made 

 up of carrots, corn starch, fat (butter or lard), salts and an alco- 

 holic extract of wheat germ. The percentage of all the ingredi- 

 ents, except carrots (the only source of protein) was varied, but in 

 every case some of the rats developed marked edema, which 

 manifested itself in various ways, sometimes with fluid in the 

 pleural and peritoneal cavities, and sometimes with fluid collected 

 subcutaneously, especially on the chest and about the fore legs. 

 Weakness always occurred and usually loss of weight, except for 

 a final gain due to the accumulation of fluid in the tissues. 



In one experiment two out of three rats developed edema on a 

 diet adequate in every way except for its protein content. In 

 both cases the edema was subcutaneous about the neck and 

 chest. One of the animals died. The other was fed a diet the 

 same as the above described diet in every way, except that 18 

 per cent, of pure casein was added in place of 18 per cent, of corn 

 starch. Marked improvement occurred in twenty-four hours and 

 complete recovery in two days. After eating this diet for two 

 weeks the animal was again given the original low protein diet 

 but with double portions of salts. In two months the animal had 

 again developed edema which was cured in the same way as above 



1 /. of Biol. Client., Vol. XXXVI, p. 249. 



