Fig. I. THE PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF MORPHIN A-Section of the normal cerebellum of a rabbit. C-Section of the cerebellum of a rabbitt which had received injections of diphtheria toxin and of morphin. E-Section of the adrenal of a rabbit which had received an injection of diphtheria toxin. F-Section of the adrenal of a rabbit which had received injections of diphtheria toxin and of morphin. H-Section of the liver of a rabbit which had received an injection of diphtheria toxin. I-Section of the liver of a rabbit which had received injections of diphtheria toxin and of morphin. (A, B, C, from photomicrographs X-310; D to I, from photomicrographs X-1640.) Note that the histologic lesions in C, F and I are measurably less than in B, E and H. Fig. II. THE PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF SLEEP A-Section of the normal cerebellum of a rabbit. B-Section of cerebellum of a rabbit which had received an injection of acid sodium phosphate. C-Section of the cerebellum of a rabbit which was kept awake for 26 hours after receiving a dose of acid sodium phosphate. D--Section of the cerebellum of a rabbit which not disturbed but allowed to sleep as it would for 26 hours after receiving a dose of acid sodium phosphate. Note the hyperchromatic Purkinje cells cells in B and C. (From photomicrographs X-310.) and compare with the hypochromatic and disintegrated Purkinje In the Lakeside clinic we give morphin in one-sixth grain doses as is required to hold the respiratory rate down to from twelve to fifteen per minute. The elimination of acids: The presence of increased acid by-products is evidenced by the following characteristic phenomena increased respiration, thirst, increased pulse rate. The one great solvent of acid salts is water and water, therefore, is the medium of acid elimination. In peritonitis, not only is the natural intake of water decreased, but through vomiting and sweating the elimination of water is abnormally increased. Therefore, in an acute case in an otherwise normal adult 2,000 cc. of normal saline solution is given subcutaneously daily, and in addition a five per cent solution of sodium bicarbonate and glucose is given continuously by the Murphy drip. The effect of this forced administration of water, alkalies and sugar is clear and striking. By these measures the rate of acid elimination and neutralization is increased coincidentally with the diminution of the rate of energy transformation and the consequent diminution in the rate of formation of acid by-products which is accomplished by morphia. The promotion of sleep: Morphia narcosis is a partial substitute for sleep but it does not equal sleep in its restorative effect. (Fig. 2). To take advantage, therefore, of nature's normal periods of rest and restoration in sleep, it is best to push morphin especially during the night and less during the day. Thus we assemble the forces of control and the forces of restoration. The lesions of infection are becoming better known; the physical processes may be visualized; and consequently our control of peritonitis has increased greatly; and the death rate from peritonitis has been strikingly diminished. 1021 Prospect avenue. THE EFFECT OF VITAMINES ON BODY GROWTH* By MARVIN D. SHIE, A. B., Cleveland. Vitamines are substances of unknown composition which exist in very small amounts in the natural food stuffs and are necessary for growth and nutrition. The idea of vitamines and the facts which are now known concerning them have been largely the outcome of the modern study of the so-called "deficiency diseases"; such as osteomalacia, rickets, pellagra, beri-beri and scurvy. Certain substances, though in the ordinary sense neither foods nor condiments, seem to be necessary for the maintenance of health. Under conditions in which these substances cannot be obtained for long periods of time deficiency diseases are likely to occur. Scurvy used to be the scourge of sailing ship in the days when fresh meat, and particularly fresh vegetables and fruits, were unobtainable during a long voyage. It has long been known that scurvy can be prevented by the use of lime or lemon juice in which citric and a trace of malic acids are combined, and it used to be thought that it was the organic vegetable acids which are the important thing. Recent researches have shown, however, that scurvy is only one of a group of diseases which are induced by deficiency in the food of certain substances, minute in amount, but essential for proper nutrition. These substances are termed vitamines. The addition of various legumes to the diet, or alcoholic extracts of these, will produce the same beneficial effect. Potatoes, carrots, fresh vegetables, lime and other fruit juices, also certain animal foods such as fresh milk, fresh meat and yolk of egg are all valuable, in addition to their nutritive constituents, for their content of vitamines. The chemical nature of vitamines is but imperfectly known and there is no certainty that the bodies which exert the beneficial influence belong to the same chemical group. The best investigated representative of the vitamines is a basic substance separated by Funk from the polishings of rice. It is a general rule that the vitamines in the cereals, including wheat, maize, oats and barley are contained exclusively in the outer coats of the grains. The substance investigated by Funk could be split into four different constituents, each of which had a specific action but the effect of the original product could only be pro *Read before the Second Year Class in Physiology, Western Reserve University April 18, 1916. duced by the collective action of all four parts. It is an organic base which is completely precipitated by phospho-tungstic acid, and by silver nitrate and baryta. It is partially precipitated by mercuric chlorid in alkaline solution in the presence of chlorine. The substance may be obtained by extraction of the polishings with acidulated alcohol. Many investigators claim that one of the active principles is phosphorus, but Funk seems to have evidence which refutes this. Yeast is especially rich in vitamines. From 100,000 grams of yeast Funk prepared an extract from which he was ultimately able to isolate 2.5 gms. of vitamines, which crystallized with a melting point of 210 degrees. The idea of the existence of accessory factors or specific requisites for growth has only of late taken a more concrete form. Recent workers have shown that besides the food stuffs in the ordinary sense, there exist other constituents of our food which are of the very greatest importance for life and growth. It has been demonstrated that all attempts to grow animals on diets consisting of carefully purified isolated food stuffs, e. g., mixtures of casein, fat, sugar, starch and inorganic salts, sooner or later result in failure. Growth invariably ceases if the trials are not interrupted too early; and development is resumed as soon as suitable changes in the diet are instituted. Hopkins found that he could remedy the shortcomings of the "artificial" mixtures, which he fed to rats by the addition of milk in quantities far too small to haye significance from the standpoint of their contribution to the energy of the ration. This effect must be due to the presence of a vitamine in the milk. Osborne and Mendel found in what they termed "proteinfree milk" a more satisfactory substitute for the less efficient salt mixtures, or the ash of milk. This product contains, besides lactose and inorganic salts, very small amounts of unknown compounds. All attempts to imitate the "protein-free milk" in an artificial way have given limited growth at best, though in occasional instances this has been surprising in extent. For such exceptional successes one may offer the hypothesis that the young organism possesses a store of the as yet unknown substance which suffices for some time in the absence of a suitable supply of the food intake. Sooner or later this becomes exhausted and nutritive equilibrium and growth cease. The organism does not synthesize the essential vitamine. Extensive experiments with |