Abstract
In a previous publication 1 we have pointed out that in order to determine whether there is a synthesis of vitamin during the germination and greening of corn, it is not enough to compare equal weights of the dried material (ungerminated, germinated and green), as other workers have done before us, but to compare an equal number of seeds. This we have now done, in a continuation of our experiments. Fifteen rats were kept on a synthetic diet, deficient in vitamin A, until they became stationary in weight. To the diet of the first five (group A) was now added the equivalent of six seeds of ungerminated corn per rat per day; to the diet of the second group of five (group B) was added the equivalent of six seeds of germinated corn per rat per day; to the diet of the third five (group C) was added the equivalent of six seeds of green seedlings per rat per day. Within 81 days after the corn feeding had begun, all the rats in groups A and B had contracted xerophthalmia, and 8 had died while all the rats in group C were in excellent condition and were continuing to gain in weight.
The average weight of each seed was for the ungerminated, 0.17 g., for the germinated, 0.16 g., and for the green 0.11 g. Despite the fact that the weight of green material offered group C was less than the weights of germinated and ungerminated material offered groups A and B, respectively, group C thrived, whereas rats of groups A and B developed xerophthalmia and declined.
Since vitamin A is associated with xerophthalmia, these results show conclusively that there was a synthesis of vitamin A during the course of greening.
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