240 
The  V  it  amines. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
May,  1914. 
body  to  which  a  formula  can  be  assigned.  It  contains  nitrogen  but 
not  phosphorus,  an  element  which  earlier  workers  had  believed  to 
be  concerned.  The  vitamine  can  be  separated  from  other  foods 
than  rice.  Various  animal  tissues  yield  it  and  so  do  certain  veg- 
etables. Any  kind  of  food  which  contains  the  vitamine  may  be 
used  to  supplement  a  ration  of  polished  rice  with  the  result  that  it 
becomes  sufficient  for  the  maintenance  of  the  animal.  Yolk  of  egg 
and  yeast  are  said  to  have  the  curative  power  in  the  highest  degree. 
It  is  interesting  to  follow  Funk's  conjectures  as  to  the  systemic 
effects  of  the  withholding  of  the  invaluable  vitamine.  We  know 
that  in  starvation  the  organs  which  cannot  be  spared  are  sustained  at 
the  expense  of  others.  The  heart  and  the  nervous  system  have  been 
found  to  keep  their  full  weight  to  the  last  while  tissues  which  are 
less  necessary  to  the  continuance  of  life  are  greatly  reduced.  Even 
the  bones  are  levied  upon  to  the  extent  of  one-sixth  of  their  mass. 
We  may  expect  to  see  the  same  principle  illustrated  in  the  partial 
starvation  which  is  at  the  root  of  any  deficiency  disease. 
So  in  beri-beri.it  may  be  supposed  that  the  vitamine  which  is 
absolutely  essential  to  the  normal  nervous  system  is  not.  at  first  con- 
fined to  that  part  of  the  body.  The  feeding  experiments  have  given 
evidence  that  it  is  present  in  the  muscles  though  rather  scantily. 
It  is  to  be  expected  that  in  the  event  of  failure  of  a  supply  direct 
from  the  diet  the  muscles  will  be  made  to  surrender  their  store  of 
the  vitamine  to  replace  that  which  has  been  destroyed  in  the  nervous 
tissues.  If  we  are  to  think  that  the  vitamine  is  essential  to  the 
muscles  as  well  as  to  the  nerves  we  shall  anticipate  that  its  with- 
drawal will  result  in  a  disintegration  of  the  muscle  .protoplasm 
quite  out  of  proportion  to  the  small  amount  of  vitamine  yielded  to 
the  preferred  creditor.  So  for  a  while  there  will  be  loss  of  weight 
and  strength  but  no  marked  nervous  symptoms  because  the  nerves 
are  being  kept  in  condition  at  the  cost  of  a  remorseless  sacrifice 
of  the  other  tissues.  When  the  internal  supply  ceases  to  be  suffi- 
cient the  acute  nervous  effects  are  at  once  developed. 
It  is  the  opinion  of  Funk  that  both  beri-beri  and  scurvy  are 
prevented  by  the  liberal  use  of  potatoes.  Before  this  vegetable 
was  introduced  into  Europe  there  were  severe  epidemics  which  are 
believed  to  have  been  outbreaks  of  scurvy.  The  suggestion  that 
the  potato  should  now  be  added  to  the  food-supply  of  the  eastern 
countries  in  which  beri-beri  is  prevalent  seems  a  wise  one.  But 
the  fact  is  to  be  emphasized  that  almost  any  diet  is  free  from  ob- 
