There is some evidence that superheating destroys the antirachitic effect of irradiation. In order to test this point further we have compared over a period of 10 weeks the growth performance of rats which were receiving a rachitic ration with that of animals receiving (1) similar rations which had been irradiated; and (2) the irradiated ration which had been subsequently superheated. This rachitic ration which consisted of a mixture of grains was finely ground, mixed with distilled water and heated until it was of a thick gelatinous consistency. Since even at 15 pounds pressure mixtures of this consistency seldom reach throughout temperatures above 97° C., it was thought that results with these rachitic rations might not be valid. Therefore, we have tested the effects of the addition to the ration of (1) boiled milk; (2) irradiated boiled milk; and (3) irradiated milk which was subsequently autoclaved. In order to test further the effect of superheating on the antirachitic properties of milk, we have used in the rachitic ration comparable amounts of evaporated milk, as well as evaporated milk supplemented with calcium phosphate, thereby ruling out the influence of the possible calcium deficiency of the evaporated milk. The rickets ration was irradiated in thin layers (⅛ inch) for ½ hour at a distance of 2 feet. Part of this was then autoclaved at 15 pounds for 6 hours. The milk was irradiated in ¼ inch layers for 20 minutes at a distance of 2 feet. Before autoclaving this was diluted with distilled water and heated at 15 pounds pressure for one hour. The results of the investigation indicate that superheating, at least to the extent involved in the experiment, does not affect the antirachitic properties of food. This is shown not only by the animals which received the irradiated milks, but by those receiving the evaporated milk as well.
In a recent investigation it was pointed out that the failure of milk fed rats to successfully suckle their young is not due primarily to a deficiency of the antineuritic vitamin in the milk secretion as has been suggested by a number of investigators, but to the inability of the particular rat to ingest enough milk to meet the lactation requirements. In this investigation the mother animals were transferred from the stock ration to the milk diets just previous to or immediately following parturition. In order to rule out the possible criticism that the results in this previous investigation were vitiated by a carry over of the antineuritic vitamin from the prelactation period when the animals were receiving high vitamin diets, we have fed groups of rats from infancy (4 weeks) both evaporated milk, which has been shown to be lower in the antineuritic vitamin than quickly boiled milk, and dried partially skimmed milk supplemented with butter fat to make it comparable to the evaporated milk. Certain of these groups were given a concentrated alcoholic extract of wheat embryo, calcium phosphate, and viosterol, either singly or together, while others received the milks without these additions. Small amounts of copper, iron, and iodine were added to all diets. The females in all groups bore young. Shortly after birth the number in the litter was reduced to 6. In some cases the number born was less than 6 or the young died during the first days following parturition, so that there was some variation in the number raised. The food ingestion was measured throughout the lactation period (21 days) and the caloric ingestion evaluated in relation to the body weight of the mother.
Calcium and phosphorus retentions in infants receiving 3 different types of cow's milk modifications have been determined. In 2 cases the infants, who were quite normal, received the particular modifications, namely boiled cow's milk, and dried milk for several consecutive months during the first year, thus making possible a number of metabolism studies on the same infant. With the 3rd mixture, namely S. M. A., the food was given from one to 2 weeks before the metabolic period, 2 studies being made with one infant; and one with a 2nd infant. The calcium and phosphorus retentions in one rachitic child have been included for comparison. Cod liver oil and orange juice were given daily in all but one case.
Cardiac hypertrophy resulting from nutritional anemia reported by Forman and Daniels was based on moist heart weights. There was nothing to indicate whether the enlargement was a true hypertrophy—an increase in muscle fiber, or was caused by an imbibition of water. In the present study both moist and dry heart weights of anemic rats at different hemoglobin levels, were compared on the basis of sex, age, body weight, and body length with those of normal animals of the same sex, age, length, and weight. In an attempt to determine the fate of these hypertrophied hearts, other anemic animals were fed anemia correcting diets. When the haemoglobin and red cell count were again within the normal range, their hearts were compared with those of normal individuals.The findings indicate that nutritional anemia produces a true cardiac hypertrophy, the result of increased muscle fiber. The dried heart weights were found to be distinctly heavier, whether compared on the basis of age, weight, or length, the degree of enlargement based on the dry heart weights being inversely proportional to the degree of anemia. The ratio of dried heart weight to body length was found to average approximately the same for male and female in both normal and anemic groups, although a consistently higher ratio was observed amongst the latter. During the period of observation (24 to 44 days), the animals receiving the anemia correcting diet continued to show a high degree of hypertrophy in spite of the fact that the blood haemoglobin and red cell count had returned to normal.
During an investigation pertaining to the influence of certain foods on anemia in rats, it was observed that the hearts of those having low hemoglobin values were considerably larger than the hearts of normal animals. Thereupon the weights of the hearts of the experimental animals, computed on the percentage basis, were compared with those of normal animals as given by Donaldson. Successive biweekly hemoglobin determinations were made throughout the period of study, the last being taken just before the animals were killed. The results indicate that there is a close correlation between the size of the heart and the degree of anemia. The heart weights of animals with high hemoglobin values—from 11 gm. to 14 gm. per 100 cc. of blood (Newcomer method) are comparable to those given by Donaldson. When the hemoglobin values fell to 10 gm. the hearts were slightly hypertrophied; this became more marked as the degree of anemia increased. At the very low hemoglobin levels, from 2 gm. to 3 gm. per 100 cc., the heart weights averaged approximately 3 times that of normal animals.
Until recently, interest in rickets has been concerned more especially with the rôle of calcium, other elements being considered of secondary importance in the metabolic disturbance. Schabad,1however, early called attention to the phosphoric acid imbalance, believing that it was a more significant factor than the calcium deficiency. In a comparative study of the relation of the phosphorus of the urine and feces of normal and rachitic infants, he observed that there was a marked increase in the phosphorus of the feces in both breast-fed and artificially fed infants affected by rickets, and a corresponding decrease in the elimination through the kidneys. The normal breast-fed infants under his observation excreted 80 per cent of the ingested phosphorus through the kidney and 19 per cent through the tract; while in his normal infants who were artificially fed, 65 per cent of the ingested phosphorus was eliminated in the urine and
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