88 - Water-Soluble B 
Treatment of Preparations Employed with Lots 995 A and 
995 B.—416 gm. of wheat embryo previously extracted with 
ether for 18 hours, were extracted with 95 per cent alcohol for 6 
hours using the Soxhlet system and for three consecutive 6 hour 
periods using the Caldwell system. The alcohol was distilled 
off from each portion separately and the extracts were brought 
down to dryness in a large granite pan at 40-50° in 14 hours. 
The residue was taken up in water and made up to 416 cc. 
208 cc., equivalent to 208 gm. of wheat embryo, were trans- 
ferred to an aspirating bottle and the nitrous acid gas was gen- 
erated from 50 gm. of sodium nitrite, and 100 cc. of 1: 1 HCl] were 
passed in during the course of 4 hours. The gas was well washed 
by passing it through a strong sodium nitrite solution. The 
treated solution was brought down and evaporated on dextrin. 
The total weight of dextrin carrying the extract was brought 
up to 208 gm. This extract was fed in the ration of Lot 995 A 
(Chart 12). 
The remaining 208 cc. were treated with HCl as described below 
and employed in the ration of Lot 995 B (Chart 12). 
The solution of alcoholic extract of wheat embryo (from Prep- 
aration 995 A) was acidified with 5 cc. of c.p. HCl and evap- 
orated on dextrin. The dry residue was made up to a final 
weight of 208 gm. It was rather strongly acid, since 5 gm. 
required 25 cc. N/14 NaOH to neutralize it to phenolphthalein. 
Lot 972 A. Period 1.—Ration: Purified food mixture plus 5 per cent of 
butter fat. 
Period 2.—Ration: Same as Period 1 with 10 per cent of wheat embryo 
which had been treated with 0.28 per cent sodium hydroxide at 100°C. 
for 1 hour. ; 
This treatment with dilute sodium hydroxide destroyed almost 
completely the content of water-soluble B in the wheat embryo. 
This confirms the observations of others that alkalies are very 
destructive of this dietary essential. 
Preparation of the Wheat Embryo Treated with Alkalt Which 
Was Fed to Lot 972 A, Period 2.—550 gm. of wheat embryo, pre- 
viously ether-extracted, were extracted with 95 per cent alcohol for 
three consecutive 6 hour periods, the flask with the extract being 
removed at the end of each period to minimize the possible de- 
