STUDIES IN THE NUTRITION OF THE WHITE MOUSE

Abstract

Mice have been fed on adequate diets containing casein, extracted casein free from vitamins A and B or edestin, as the protein factor, with commercial crisco, or the same aerated for 16 hrs, at 140[degree] C, as the source of fat. Other diets contained no crisco. The results justify the following conclusions: commercial edestin contains no vitamin A, commercial crisco contains enough vitamin A to prevent xerophthalmia in mice, but not enough to protect rats under similar conditions of diet and treatment. The requirements of rats and mice for the antixerophthalmic factor are quantitatively different, the latter requiring less than the former.