118 



Scientific Proceedings (126) 



Abstract of Communications 

 Seventh meeting. 



Minneapolis, Minnesota, November 8, 1922. 

 57 (2017) 



Biochemical properties of the blood of pigeons in polyneuritis 



and starvation. 1 



By LEROY 3. PALMER and CLARA T. HOFFMAN (by invitation). 



[From the Section of Animal Nutrition, Division of Agricultural 

 Biochemistry, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota.] 



The data in Table 1, showing the analyses of the whole blood 

 of (1) normal pigeons, (2) normal pigeons starved until they 

 had lost 40 per cent, of their body weight, (3) pigeons with 

 ''latent" polyneuritis, (4) pigeons with acute polyneuritis, (5) 

 pigeons which had attained normal weight following acute poly- 

 neuritis, i.e. "relieved polyneuritis," and (6) pigeons starved to 

 a 40 per cent, loss of weight following "relieved polyneuritis," 

 indicate that the decrease in total solids and in the nitrogenous 

 constituents of the blood, both protein and non-protein, as well 

 as the diminution in the erythrocytes, are probably due to the 

 self-imposed starvation which accompanies the later stages of 

 polyneuritis in pigeons. It is to be noted, however, that simple 

 inanition in its advanced stages is accompanied by a decline in 

 the relative amount of protein in the blood which is not apparent 

 even in acute polyneuritis. This result is contrary to the recent 

 observations of Pacchinsa. 2 



None of the usual "symptoms" of polyneuritis accompanied 

 simple inanition in these experiments. The polyneuritis diet con- 

 sisted of a mixture of polished rice, casein, butter fat and salts. 



1 This problem was suggested in part by R. A. Dutcher, formerly of the 

 University of Minnesota. Credit is also due Professor Dutcher for assistance 

 rendered in the early phases of the work. 



2 Raechinsa, 8., Ann. di clin. mcd., 1921, 11, 271. 



