Experimental Rickets. 



59 



The results of these experiments on the dog and cat are in 

 agreement with those obtained in man. 



Cardio-respiratory interference waves particularly of the 

 double type with alternating beats occur simultaneously in sacri- 

 fice experiments in dogs and cats. We therefore point to our 

 work as occasionally explaining pulsus-alternans and blood pressure 

 waves of the third order. 



Abstracts of the Communications, Minnesota Branch. 



First meeting. 



Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 12, IQ21. 



31 (1778) 

 Experimental rickets. 



By J. F. McCLENDON and HARRY BAUGUESS (by invitation). 



[From the Laboratory of Physiological Chemistry, University of 

 Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.] 



In a large number of experiments on feeding albino rats in 

 which white wheat flour was used as the main part of the ration, 

 bone abnormalities were absent or transitory. Since Sherman 

 showed that rickets could be inhibited by simply adding phosphate 

 to the diet we concluded that the normal condition of the bones 

 of our rats was due to the phosphoric acid content of the casein 

 used in the diet. After substituting casein by lactalbumin or 

 edestin, bone abnormalities appeared in one hundred per cent, 

 of our rats. If casein was fed to the extent of 6 per cent, of the 

 ration bone abnormalities were reduced and apparently the dis- 

 turbance was transitory, since the bones became hard and cast 

 dense shadows with the x-rays without changing the diet, yet some 

 of the deformities were preserved. With a basic ration of white 

 flour containing 6 per cent, sea salt, the addition of edestin or 

 lactalbumin to improve the protein did not in any way decrease 

 the abnormalities. The edestin carries vitamine B and if wheat 

 germ extract is added to the lactalbumin in order to furnish 

 vitamine B, the abnormalities still persist. The addition of 

 spinach up to 5 per cent, of the ration did not decrease the ab- 



