Apr. 12, 1924 
Toxicity of Cottonseed and Its Gossypol Content 185 
other rats. Since the significance of this single exception is not apparent, it may 
be concluded that for all practical purposes the Egyptian seed was as toxic as 
was indicated by the gossypol analysis. 
The results of the feeding tests upon a diet containing 42.2 per cent of Lone 
Star cottonseed, estimated to contain 0.218 per cent of gossypol in the diet as a 
whole, are given in figure 12. They indicate that the actual toxicity is about 
equivalent to the toxicity of a diet containing 0.18 per cent of pure gossypol. By 
Fig. 12—Effect of diet containing cottonseed kernels and estimated to contain approximately 0.225 per 
cent crude gossypol. Numbers to left of curve indicate the initial weight in grams and numbers above 
or below curve the laboratory number of animal. Because of short duration of experiments chart has 
been drawn on a scale twice that used in preceding chart 
these tests, therefore, the Lone Star seed seems to be about 20 per cent less toxic 
than would be estimated from the gossypol analysis. 
No experiments were made with a diet containing 54.6 per cent of Trice cotton¬ 
seed kernels (estimated to contain 0.224 per cent of gossypol). In their place, 
experiments with 15 and 30 per cent of Trice kernels, the diets estimated to con¬ 
tain, respectively, 0.062 and 0.125 per cent of crude gossypol, are reported (fig. 13). 
These experiments, however, must be considered apart from those already re- 
Fig. 13.—Effect of diet containing Trice cottonseed kernels estimated to contain approximately 0.0675 and 
0.135 per cent crude gossypol, compared with a diet actually containing 0.0675 per cent gossypol. The eight 
experiments represented in this chart were conducted on rats from a single litter. They were performed 
during an interval when the laboratory was rather cool at night, and are therefore to be considered apart 
from others herein reported, in which the same diets were fed during warm weather or when the laboratory 
temperature regulator was in use. Because of the short duration of these experiments, the chart has been 
drawn on scale used in preceding chart 
ported in which the same quantities of Trice cottonseed kernels were used during 
the warm weather. These experiments were performed on a single litter of rats 
at a time when the laboratory was cool at night, a condition which lowered the 
resistance of the animals. Compared with rats of the same litter which were fed a 
diet containing 0.0625 per cent of gossypol at the same time, the conclusion is that 
the Trice seed was probably from 67 to 75 per cent as toxic as was estimated from 
the gossypol analysis. 
