[52] It is not possible to say exactly how much raw milk a baby needs to protect it against the development of scurvy. We may, however, reach an approximate estimation of this figure. We know that it takes about 2 c.c. of orange juice to protect a guinea-pig against manifest scurvy, and about 10 c.c. to protect a baby. The ratio, therefore, between the guinea-pig and the infant in this regard would seem to be about 5 to 1. We also know that it takes about 80 to 100 c.c. daily of fresh cow’s milk to protect a guinea-pig for long periods. If we assume the ratio of 5 to 1, it would therefore seem that it would require about 500 c.c. or a pint, of fresh raw milk daily as a minimum to protect the baby. (It is quite possible that a slight negative balance of the vitamine may exist unless a still greater amount is given.)
[53] Orange juice undergoes a decided color change as soon as it has become neutral or very slightly alkaline, assuming a more translucent and far deeper yellow or amber color. This change may be utilized by the attendant in determining the reaction, thus rendering titration or other time-consuming methods unnecessary.
[54] There is no relation whatever between the acidity of canned vegetables and their possible contamination with tin. Experiments carried out to determine this question demonstrated, for example, that a “sample of red kidney beans showing the highest acidity contained the least tin,” and that those samples containing the most tin were all relatively low in acidity. (Report of Conn. Agric. Station Bull. 200, 1917, J. P. Street.)
[55] Salant, in experiments on rabbits, found that old or winter carrots did not have the same protective action against tartrates as young carrots, although their diuretic action is the same.
[56] It is difficult to state the exact dosage of orange juice which is necessary. One teaspoonful daily has failed to cure, and rapid cures have been accomplished by giving one tablespoonful. It is well, however, to give a larger amount if it is tolerated.
[57] Almost all of these cases were receiving liberal daily amounts of cod liver oil, which should exclude the possibility of complicating rickets.
[58] There is no adequate reason for placing in this group “cœliac disease,” a nutritional disorder of children recently described by Still, and suggested by McCarrison as belonging to the category of the vitamine deficiency diseases. A case of this kind has come to our attention which resembled pellagra in many respects. It showed the bright red, denuded tongue, the intestinal symptoms, the occasional edema, marked loss in weight, and evanescent erythema—all symptoms of markedly disturbed nutrition but not distinctive of a lack of vitamines.
[59] The only evidence in favor of a true interrelationship is furnished by a necropsy report of Hart and Lessing on one of five monkeys fed on a scorbutic diet. This animal died of disseminated tuberculosis, and the bones showed “the classic picture of severe rickets.” This occurrence cannot be explained, although illness and lack of exercise no doubt played a rôle. Until similar cases are reported, the incident must be regarded merely as interesting and suggestive.