May 3, 1924 
Antineuritic Vitamin in Poultry Flesh and Eggs 
471 
EFFECT OF COOKING UPON ANTINEURITIC VITAMIN IN EGGS 
White Leghorn eggs were cooked in boiling water for approximately 7 minutes 
and then cooled in a stream of cold water. The contents of the eggs were sepa¬ 
rated from the shells, ground in a meat grinder, dried in a current of air at a temper¬ 
ature below 60° C., and then ground in a burr mill. The dried eggs were mixed 
with autoclaved rice in two proportions and the antineuritic values of the rations 
are reported in Table VII. 
By referring to Table VI, pen 38, it will be noted that the average survival 
period of that pen of birds receiving a ration containing 30 per cent of dried raw 
White Leghorn eggs is 39 days, while the average survival period of the pigeons 
in pen 48 that were fed a ration containing 30 per cent of dried cooked White 
Leghorn eggs is practically the same, or 40 days. The pigeons receiving 30 
per cent of the raw eggs lost an average of only 9.4 per cent in weight, while 
those that were fed the same proportion of cooked egg lost an average of 19.2 
per cent. It appears, then, that the antineuritic value of the eggs was slightly 
reduced by the method of cooking employed. 
Table VII .—Antineuritic value of dried cooked hens f eggs. 
Ration 
Pigeon 
No. 
Change 
in weight 
Survival 
period 
Results 
Ingredients 
Per 
cent 
Pen 47: 
Cooked White Leghorn eggs. 
Autoclaved rice.. 
15 
85 
| 225 
1 226 
f 227 
) 228 
Per cent 
-24.4 
-17.3 
-29.7 
-14.1 
Days 
22 
19 
46 
15 
Polyneuritis. 
Do. 
Died. 
Polyneuritis 
Polyneuritis. 
Emaciated at end of test. 
Polyneuritis. 
Do. 
Average___ 
-21.4 
26 
Pen 48: 
Cooked White Leghorn eggs. 
Autoclaved rice_ 
30 
70 
] 229 
! 230 
f 231 
] 232 
-15.6 
-34.8 
-10.3 
-15.9 
29 
56 
29 
46 
Average.. 
-19.2 
40 
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS 
POULTRY FLESH 
The relatively low antineuritic value that w r as found for the flesh of the frying 
chickens is surprising in view of the fact that the birds were grown on free range 
with an abundant supply of green feed, and in addition were fed mixed 
grains and mash that undoubtedly contained an ample supply of vitamin B. 
The flesh of the hens was even more deficient in vitamin B, although they also 
were fed grain and mash that contained an ample supply of the vitamin, and in 
addition received considerable green feed, but not nearly so much as the young 
chickens. The slightly higher antineuritic value of the young chickens is probably 
due to the greater abundance of green feed in their diet. Apparently neither the 
young chickens nor the hens had the ability to store any considerable quantity 
of vitamin B in their muscle tissue. 
There seem to have been no significant differences in the vitamin B content of 
the flesh of the three breeds of chickens. This applies both to the frying chickens 
and to the hens. 
The turkey flesh had a rather low antineuritic value, similar to that of the 
frying chickens, while the flesh of the guinea fowl had a somewhat higher value. 
The flesh of the ducks had a considerably higher antineuritic value than that of 
any of the other fowl tested. 
Since no information is available regarding the feeding of the turkeys, ducks, 
and guinea fowl, it can not be stated whether the higher antineuritic value of the 
duck and guinea-fowl flesh, as compared with that from the chickens and turkeys, 
may have been due to a difference in the vitamin B content of the rations of the 
birds or not. It is very unlikely, however, that the diet either of the ducks or the 
