It is necessary, therefore, that the diet should consist almost entirely of milk if, through its agency alone, scurvy is to be prevented. Chick, Hume and Skelton point out that this concept is consistent with the role played by mammalian milk, which is destined to form a complete food for a definite but limited period in the life of the young.

Table XI. Value Of Foodstuffs As Preventives Against Scurvy And Beri-Beri

- signifies not investigated

Foodstuffs.

Water Content (Approx.) Per

Cent.

Value

Against

Beri-beri.

Value Against Scurvy.

Cereals -

Whole grain (wheat)

10 to l3

+ +

0

Endosperm

'polished rice

o

o

white flour (wheat)

o

Bran

e.g., rice

+ +

o

e. g., wheat

o

Germ or embryo

e.g., rice

+ + +

o

e.g., wheat

o

Pulses -

Whole (in dry condition)

12

+ +

0

Germinated pulses (or cereals)

50

+ +

+ + +

Vegetables -

Potatoes

80

0

+ +

Fresh-

'e.g., cabbage

90

e.g., onions

+

+ + +

e. g., carrot

Desiccated vegetables

10 to 15

+

+ to 0 accord. to age

Pickled, e. g., cabbage

-

-

0

Fruit Juices -

Fresh-

e. g., orange

-{90

+ + +

e. g., lemon

Eggs-

Fresh

70

+ +

-

Desiccated

6

+ +

0

Meat -

Fresh

70

+

4-

Tinned

0

0

Milk -

Cow's (fresh)

87

0

+ (slight)

Yeast -

Pressed (autolysed)

77

+++

0

Yeast -

Extract (commercial sample A)

30

+++

0

There is a remarkable difference between the value of certain fresh vegetables as contrasted with milk, for the protection of animals against scurvy. Chick and her co-workers found that 3 c.c. of fresh orange juice or 2.5 to 5 grams of fresh cabbage leaves when added daily to a diet of oats and bran were sufficient to prevent the development of the symptoms of the disease. These amounts of vegetables were equivalent for the prevention of scurvy, to about 100 c.c. of fresh whole milk which had not been heated.

These studies offer a satisfactory explanation of the observations of McCollum and Pitz who found that guinea pigs which were in the early stages of acute scurvy and at the same time badly constipated as the result of an exclusive diet of oats and milk, could in some cases be cured by the administration of paraffin oil. Harden and Zilva (21) pointed out that any amelioration brought about by the administration of this laxative was due to the increased consumption of milk because of the clearing of the alimentary tract, and consequent improvement in the well-being of the animals.