Abstract
Lewis and Zotterman 1 have suggested that ultraviolet light forms in the skin a histamine-like substance which, presumably, would increase the gastric secretions. Also, various investigators have reported a decreased alkalinity in the intestinal contents during exposure to ultraviolet light. Furthermore, it has already been demonstrated that acidity in the gastrointestinal tract, by making calcium salts more soluble, has a healing effect on rickets. Therefore, we thought that vitamin D might increase the absorption of calcium and phosphorus by stimulating the secretion of gastric juice.
Standard rachitic rats were given from 0.005 to 0.5 mg. of histamine subcutaneously, twice each day for 21 days. The smaller doses of the drug caused no noticeable change in the appearance and general behavior of the animals. On the other hand, the larger doses increased the respiration, heart rate and especially the secretions from the eyes so that these rats appeared “watery-eyed” throughout the experimental period. Roentgenograms of the different groups of rats, taken at the end of treatment, showed no evidence of healing when compared with the controls. Thus it is apparent that vitamin D does not cure rickets by acting on the gastric juice.
These experiments support the findings of Bauer et at 2 and Hottinger, 3 who were unable to explain the healing action of vitamin D on the basis of an increased formation of acid in the gastrointestinal tract.
We also made a comparative study of oral and subcutaneous administration of vitamin D. Although Kramer and his associates 4 have cured rickets by subcutaneous injection of cod liver oil in ether solution, the relative efficiency of the 2 methods of treatment was not compared. We found that both procedures were equally efficient in healing rickets when 0.1 to 0.2 mg. of viosterol were given to rachitic rats daily for 21 days. However, when the equivalent of 21 doses of vitamin D was administered in one dose on the first day, or a third of the total amount on each of the first, seventh, and tenth days, it was observed that the subcutaneous method of treatment brought about a complete cure while oral administration resulted only in moderate or advanced healing. This was true even when the viosterol for a particular day was given in 3 portions of 0.1 cc. each in order to insure a more accurate dosage.
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