The antihaemorrhagic vitamin of the chick

Abstract

The antihemorrhagic vitamin of the chick, studied by the preventive technique, was found to be fat-soluble and to occur in the easily soluble non-sterol fraction of the unsaponifiable matter of its various sources, i.e., hog liver fat (a very potent source), yolk of hen''s egg (not extremely rich), hemp seed and certain vegetables (good sources), yellow corn, unpolished rice and sunflower seeds (very poor). Cod liver oil is practically devoid of it. It cannot be identical with vit. A or D, because large amts. of these vitamins in the diet are completely ineffective in preventing the disease due to its lack. It resembles vit. E somewhat in solubility and resistance to heating in air but differs from E in that large quantities of wheat germ or wheat germ oil do not afford a complete protection against the hemorrhagic diathesis. It is suggested that the term vit. K be used for the antihemorrhagic factor.