Egg Yolk in Rickets 



369 



178 (2138) 



The therapeutic value of egg yolk in rickets. 

 By ALFRED F. HESS. 



[From the Department of Pathology, College of Physicians and 

 Surgeons, New York City.] 



In view of its high content of fat-soluble vitamine, and the 

 association of this vitamine with the anti-rachitic factor, it 

 seemed worth while to test the value of yolk of egg in relation 

 to the prevention and cure of rickets. Mellanby added this to 

 his experimental diet in one instance and was able to cure rickets 

 in a dog. In our experiments young rats were used and the 

 Sherman-Pappenheimer low phosphorus diet was fed. The 

 yolk was given to each animal separately. Table I shows the 



TABLE I. PROPHYLACTIC TREATMENT OF RATS WPTH 



EGG YOLK 



Weight (g.) 





Daily 





Path. 



rickets 





at onset and 



Rickets- 



amount 



Radio- 







Blood P. 



after 28 



produc- 



of egg 



graphic 





Micro- 



(mg. per 



days 



ing diet 



yolk 



rickets 



Gross 



scopic 



cent.) 



50-44 



No. 84 





marked 



R. 



R. 



2.5 



40-44 



(HighCa 





marked 



R. 



R. 





50-38 



Low P.) 





slight ' 



R, 



R. 





50-50 



No. 84 



0.25 g. 



neg. 



neg. 



neg. 



4.0 



40-40 



(High Ca 





neg. 



neg. 



neg. 





50-60 



Low P.) 





neg. 



neg. 



neg. 





40-50 







neg. 



neg. 



neg. 





30-66 



No. 84 



0.33 g. 



neg. 



neg. 



neg. 



4.5 



40-60 



(High Oa 



neg. 



neg. 



neg. 





50-58 



Low P.) 





neg. 



neg. 





40-58 







neg. 



neg. 







30-60 



No. 84 



0.5 g. 



neg. 



neg. 



neg. 





40-70 



(High Oa 



neg. 



neg. 



neg. 



5.0 



40-60 



Low P.) 





neg. 



neg. 



neg. 





40-70 







neg. 



neg. 



neg. 



5.0 



result of prophylactic treatment. It will be noted that animals 

 receiving as little as 0.25 g. daily of yolk failed to develop rickets. 

 The yolks contained 450 mg. per cent, of phosphorus so that the 

 protective action cannot be attributed simply to an addition of 

 phosphorus. The gains in weight of these rats were remarkably 



