Experimental Rickets

Abstract

Rickets is produced in rats by feeding exclusively with cereals and yellow peas. Whereas feeding with polished rice results in typical rickets, feeding with rice-starch alone will only produce osteoporosis. This difference is not attributable to nitrogen starvation.If oatmeal is extracted with hydrochloric acid and the extract is given in addition to the starch, the animals develop rickets. The rickets-producing factor of oatmeal must therefore be ascribed to some toxic substance. Evidence is given to show that this substance can pass through parchment-paper and that it can be precipitated with alcohol. Rickets produced by feeding with cereals can be prevented by the administration of calcium-salts, whereas phosphates have no such effect.