VITAMIN B IN EDIBLE TISSUES OF OX, SHEEP, AND HOG. 43 
TESTS WITH OX BLOOD AND CALF BLOOD. 
Information regarding the vitamin content of blood is of interest, 
not only on account of its importance as a food, but also because 
blood acts as a carrier of vitamins to the tissues. 
Samples of defibrinated blood were obtained fresh from a local 
meat-packinge establishment. The serum, which was separated 
from the corpuscles by means of a centrifuge, was only slightly 
colored with hemoglobin. The corpuscles were washed several times 
with normal salt solution. The whole defibrinated blood, the serum, 
and the corpuscles were dried in the usual way. ‘The results of the 
feeding tests with these products are shown in Table 27. 
The ration containing 15 per cent of ox blood had a very low anti- 
neuritic value, the average survival period of the pen of birds getting 
this ration being only 17 days, while the average loss in weight was 17.6 
per cent. The calf blood had a slightly higher value, the average 
survival period being 31 days, but the loss in weight was 35 per cent. 
The ox-blood corpuscles had a lower antineuritic value than the 
whole blood, the average survival period of the two birds getting 
this ration being only 10 days, while the loss in weight was 23.6 per 
cent. The very short survival period of the pigeons receiving the 
ration containing 15 per cent of corpuscles suggests that the presence 
of this constituent in the ration actually hastened the development 
of polyneuritis, since it is unusual for pigeons to develop poly- 
neuritis in so short a time, even on a ration consisting entirely of 
autoclaved polished rice. More experimental evidence is needed 
to determine this point. The ox-blood serum had a somewhat higher 
antineuritic value than the whole blood, and a considerably higher 
value than the corpuscles. However, the serum must be con- 
sidered as having a low antineuritic value as compared with most 
TaBLE 27.—Experimental feeding of dried ox blood and calf blood with polished rice. 
[ 
- Pigeon | Survival ‘Change Sai s 
Blood ration. | No. period. weight. | Result. 
| ees — — — 
PEN 87. | | | 
| | Dayse. | -Pencent= | 
TSIPEMGElM Ox OlOOd 22 525220 3: 52 so sean ee 43 12 | -—19.9 | Polyneuritis. 
IDOASe kee es eee Se ees 44 19 —19.8 Do. 
ID OR ie tee ee ht aS eo SERS: 45 | PAV) Jl) Do. 
MARV OGAE Cn see sie aes aoa. AB Rae I Life oe 7G 
PEN 88 | 
ES percenticalfblood ss. = 52: ere oc 46 21 —44.2 | Extreme inanition. 
TONG a ag at te Taare I Ree fe ee 47 55 | —39.9 Do. 
I) Osean ses eae a es eee ee 48 | 17 —20.8 | Polyneuritis. 
PASVIELA ROS ccs ees se Serle sags sah i em alee | Sil 3540 
PEN 89. | 
15 per cent ox-blood corpuscles............. 5 9 —16.7 Do. 
mie Sets 5 et Ree ei ee Uyepite ral te area ke 6 11; —30.4 Do. 
SASL LTO aes OR Sr RS te Mae nae 91 NK | 10 — 23.6 
PEN 90 
| | 
15 per cent ox-blood serum................. 14 | 35 —30.1 | Died. 
AB) (eet en tee hoe wae: TEA RTA Cp Say Sg (Pe 150) 14-| —13.2 | Polyneuritis. 
VOLE ah co Aa a Si Se nae ae) eae eee aL 25 —21.7 
