VITA MINES 



log 



VITAMINES. 



Eijkmann, Gryns, Takaki, Fraser, and Stanton, have shown that 

 the uncured, milled, polished, or white rice is deprived of its subperi- 

 carpal layers by the processes of milling or polishing, and that these 

 layers contain some substance of importance in the prevention of 

 beri-beri. This substance is present in the proportion of o -i gramme 

 to the kilogramme of rice. Funk has isolated this substance, 

 called beri-beri vitamine, from the polishings of the rice mentioned 

 above, and has determined its chemical composition — i.e., 55*63 

 per cent. C, 5-29 per cent. H, and 7-68 per cent. N, which corre- 

 spond best to the formula Ci7Hig04N(HN03) — and has demonstrated 

 its power of curing the polyneuritis induced in fowls by a rice diet, 

 4 milligrammes being sufficient to cure pigeons. In further re- 

 searches he came to the conclusion that the beri-beri vitamine was 

 a base belonging to the pyramidine group, and that its formula 

 was : — 



It was described as being soluble in water, alcohol, and acidulated 

 alcohol, as being dialyzable and capable of being destroyed by heat 

 at 130° C, while the amount present in i kilogramme of rice is 

 O'Oi gramme. 



According to Funk, this substance is essential for the metabolism 

 of the nervous system, and if it is lacking in a diet it must be supplied 

 from the body, and when this fails then symptoms of beri-beri 

 appear. 



Beri-beri is, therefore, according to general opinion, a deficiency 

 disease, and is grouped with epidemic dropsy, scurvy, experimental 

 scurvy, infantile scurvy, ship beri-beri, pellagra, and polyneuritis 

 of birds. 



All vitamines are not the same, and the scurvy vitamine appears 

 to be different from that of beri-beri, being a crystalline substance 

 destroyable at 120° C. or less, and constant in fresh potatoes, onions, 

 cabbages, apples, lemons, limes, and lime-juice; and being less stable 

 than that of beri-beri, is only found in the fresh condition of vege- 

 tables and fruits. 



There appears also to be a specific growth vitamine, the composition 

 of which is unknown. It is contained in milk, and is necessary for 

 the growth and development of the child. If the mother suffers from 

 beri-beri, as Andrews has shown, there will be great risk of the child 

 dying either of beri-beri or some other complaint, owing to defective 

 growth and development. 



There is also a suggestion that pellagra may be a deficiency 

 disease. 



With regard to the distribution of vitamines, they are present in 



NH 



CO 



NH 



