UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULT 
wteare*s =* 
DEPARTMENT BULLETIN No. 1138 
Washington, D. C. PROFESSIONAL PAPER February 10, 1923 
VITAMIN B IN THE EDIBLE TISSUES OF THE OX, SHEEP, AND HOG. 
I, VITAMIN B IN THE VOLUNTARY MUSCLE. 
I. VITAMIN B IN THE EDIBLE VISCERA. 
By Ratps Hoacrann, Senior Biochemist, Biochemic Division, Bureau of 
Animal Industry. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. Page. 
Witaminub iaGherdieteessacses. ea oe se 1} IJ. Vitamin B in the edible viscera........-. 21 
I. Vitamin B in the voluntary muscle..-.... 2 Importance of edible viscera as food.-.. 21 
Importance of meat as a food..-.....-.-- 2 Previous investigations with edible 
Previous investigations with meat..... 2 VISCCT Aa ee cee en a ad Sime Tere 23 
Expermnental worke-2c5 55-2 -os525525-- 4 EXP CLINE MU AlayiOLKee epee ese 23 
Discussion of results..-...........--.--- 9 Summa Tyco teagan 44 
SominatysOtbantsles tae een saan ess = ZONE @oncluslonseest ser ceae se wane een een ee 46 
HKeferences toditeratunres- 2522 9-5 - ee eee ee 46 
VITAMIN B IN THE DIET. 
Vitamin B, also known as the antineuritic vitamin, is one of 
those chemically unidentified substances which are absolutely neces- 
sary for the growth and maintenance of man and animals. The 
disease known as beriberi, formerly rather common among the 
rice-eating people of the East, is due to the consumption of a diet 
made up very largely of polished rice, which is very deficient in this 
vitamin. On the other hand, natives who subsist largely on the 
unpolished cereal do not contract beriberi, and the disease may 
be cured simply by substituting unpolished for polished rice in the 
diet. A less-marked deficiency of vitamin B in the diet results 
in retarded growth and other disorders. Birds fed a diet very 
deficient in vitamin B lose weight rapidly and develop polyneutritis, 
while young rats make but slight, if any, growth on such a diet. 
Since the chemical identity of vitamin B or of any of the other 
vitamins is not known, the only reliable method for the estimation 
of the vitamin content of a foodstuff is by animal experimentation. 
This method has its limitations, but when feeding tests are carried 
on with the greatest care and the results are interpreted with caution, 
fairly accurate, relative vitamin values may be assigned to the 
foods tested. ; 
Considering the fact that practically all our knowledge con- 
cerning vitamins has been acquired only during the last decade, 
we have a very considerable amount of information regarding the 
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