12 
CHEMISTRY: R. A. BUTCHER 
Proc. N. a. S. 
pecially starch metabolism. On vitamine-free diets these authors obtained 
hyperglycemia with diminished amounts of hepatic glycogen. Vitamine- 
free and carbohydrate-free diets, in the opinion of these writers, prevents 
in some manner, the synthesis of glycogen from protein and fat. Vitamine 
diminished the hyperglycemia and increased the liver glycogen. 
The first work recorded, so far as the writer is aware, concerning the 
relation of vitamine to pathology, is that of Funk and Douglas and 
Douglas. Pathological examination of the pituitary, thyroid, supra- 
renals, ovary, testes, kidney, liver, pancreas and spleen showed that on 
a vitamine-free diet all glands diminished in size and underwent degenera- 
tive changes. The thymus gland was caused to disappear and then re- 
turn by the administration of vitamine. 
Drummond^^ has published data indicating that creatinuria follows the 
feeding of diets deficient in the anti-neuritic vitamine. In this work 
rats were used as the experimental animals. 
Studies made in this laboratory have led us to believe that the vitamine 
functions indirectly as a metabolic stimulant. We have observed^ ^ 
that the body temperature falls during the development of avian poly- 
neuritis and increases after vitamine administration. Measurement of 
the catalase content of the tissues in polyneuritic birds revealed a drop 
in catalase activity to a point 56% below normal, indicating that oxidative 
processes are depressed when the organism is not receiving the normal 
amount of vitamine. It is not improbable that the depression of body 
oxidations is accompanied by the formation of toxic metabolic products 
which affect the nervous system, bringing about the typical paralysis and 
other symptoms. 
The mechanism of the stimulation and cure, when vitamine is fed, is 
not clear. Certainly the process is not a simple one. It would appear 
that there is some relationship between vitamine intake and endocrine 
activity. Mr. S. D. Wilkins, working in this laboratory, has recently 
caponized Single Comb White Leghorn cockerels whose sole diet, for from 
three to five weeks, was polished rice. The testicles were found to be 
atrophied to a surprising degree, often being not more than 20% of normal 
in size and weight. He has been able to show the effect of diet in this 
connection by removing but one testicle in each rice-fed bird and im- 
mediately afterward adding green alfalfa to the rice diet. The birds on 
the rice-alfalfa diet grow and increase in weight. Upon caponizing these 
birds the remaining testicle has increased in size and weight, approaching 
that of the normal birds. Jackson and Stewart^^ point out that under- 
feeding brings about atrophy of practically all vital organs, including the 
testes, accompanied by a loss in body weight. Refeeding does not produce 
normal growth and none of the animals attain the size and weight of the 
control animals. This, these writers point out, differs from the results 
