Changes in organ weight produced by diets deficient in antiscorbutic vitamine

Abstract

Young guinea pigs weighing 250-300 grams, fed on a diet deficient in water-soluble C (antiscorbutic vitamine), show at death a pronounced increase in weight of the adrenal glands amounting to approximately 100 per cent. when computed on basis of body weight minus alimentary canal. (Confirming McCarrison's statement.)

The increase in size is equally definite but not so pronounced when computed on basis of the beginning, or maximum, body weight attained. Starvation controls do not show an increase in adrenal weight.

The increase in adrenal weight is directly proportional to the length of time which the animal is on the scorbutic diet and is most pronounced in those animals in which life has been prolonged by affording them partial protection with small but insufficient quantities of tomato juice.

This may be interpreted as indicating a compensatory response to the decreased adrenalin production known to exist in the scorbutic animal. This point is sf interest in connection with the extensive intramuscular and intestinal hemorrhages found in scurvy.

Our data comprising 40 scorbutic and 15 control animals gives no indication that the liver is affected by a lack of watersoluble C alone. There is, however, some evidence that the heart and kidneys are increased on the scorbutic diets.