Experiments on Antiscorbutics. 



of tissue growth. The radial growth of the capillaries, in con- 

 tradistinction to the concentric growth of the connective tissue 

 makes possible the nourishment and persistence of the newly 

 formed tissue, and thus the definite organization of dead material. 



193 (i37i) 



Experiments on antiscorbutics. Report of an antiscorbutic for 



intravenous use. 



By Alfred F. Hess and Lester J. Unger. 



[From the Bureau of Laboratories, Department of Health, N. Y. City.] 



At the last meeting of this Society we presented a paper on 

 guinea-pig scurvy, which had been induced by a diet of oats, hay, 

 and water. In the present paper we wish to report some protec- 

 tive and curative experiments on pigs which were fed on this diet, 

 as well as on the use of various antiscorbutics in the scurvy of 

 infants. 



Guinea pigs developed scurvy on the above diet in spite of a 

 daily per capita allowance of five grams of dried vegetables. 

 Three lots of vegetables were use on three groups of pigs: (1) a 

 commercial preparation of mixed vegetables; (2) carrots dried at 

 room temperature last summer; (3) carrots rapidly dried a few 

 weeks previously at a temperature of about 130 0 F. All the pigs 

 in each group developed scurvy, those of group 3 developing the 

 disease somewhat later than the others. A watery decoction of 

 orange peel was able to protect against scurvy. A similar prepara- 

 tion, made from orange peel that had been dried at room tem- 

 perature a few months, retained only mild antiscorbutic properties. 



Orange juice proved to be a most effective antiscorbutic in 

 very small amounts. If, however, it was kept in the refrigerator 

 for about three months it lost considerable of its potency, the pigs 

 to which it was fed failing to gain normally. Orange juice which 

 had been subjected in an autoclave to no 0 C, at ten to fifteen 

 pounds pressure, although antiscorbutic, did not enable pigs to 

 gain in weight as did the unheated juice. Orange juice that was 



