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In the course of an experiment in which sheep and cow rumen contents were being assayed for vitamin B6 by a modification of the method of Dimick and Schreffler1 we observed, in addition to the usual dermatitis of the face, ears and paws, ring-like (see plate I) lesions on the tail. This condition was first noted after the rats had been on the depletion diet for a period of 5 to 6 weeks and it developed in about 10 out of 100 animals used during the depletion period of approximately 7 weeks.The basal diets used had the following composition:In the first assay, using diet A. factor II was supplied by feeding 0.5 cc daily of a liver filtrate concentrate prepared from Lilly Liver Extract Powder 343∗ by 5 treatments with fuller's earth after the method of Lepkovsky, Jukes and Krause.3 The filtrate secured by this procedure was further treated with 8 volumes of 95% ethanol and the resulting precipitate was discarded. The final filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to the point where 1 cc represented ...

We have previously reported1 that there is an increase in concentration of glutathione in muscles of mature rats after 15 daily injections of a potent growth hormone obtained by alkaline extraction of beef pituitary. In control animals similarly treated with a heat inactivated solution of the hormone we found no such change. Analyses of the livers showed no significant change. However, if animals were sacrificed a few hours after a single injection of the potent hormone we found a decided fall in the glutathione concentration of the liver with only a slight change, if any, in the muscle glutathione. We have no explanation to offer for this sudden change in the liver but believe that it may furnish a method for estimation of the potency of the growth hormone that is more rapid than the usual method by measuring growth after 20 days of injection. It may prove to have a more important significance since by its use the fundamental biochemical reactions induced by the growth hormone may be studied quantitative...

Rhode Island Red embryos, destined to develop into adults of comparatively large size, proliferate cells at a faster rate than White Leghorn embryos, destined to develop into adults of comparatively small size.1 It is known that glutathione (sulphydryl) stimulates cell proliferation, and that rapidly growing rats and rabbits have a greater concentration of glutathione in their body tissues than less rapidly growing controls.2-3 Furthermore, fasted new-born rabbits which are destined to develop into large adults have a greater concentration of glutathione than those destined to develop into small adults.4The following experiment was performed in order to determine the glutathione concentration of White Leghorn and Barred Plymouth Rock embryos, and to ascertain whether or not a difference in concentration exists between the two breeds. Most of the Leghorns, and all of the Barred Plymouth Rocks used in the experiment were descendants of the stocks used by Asmundson and Lerner in studies on the inheritance of...

Rats were placed on a constant diet and periodic collections of excreta were analyzed in order to follow the calcium and phosphorus balances during the period of pregnancy and lactation. The diet was made alkaline by the addition of calcium carbonate. All of the necessary factors were included in the diet.After the onset of pregnancy and prior to parturition, the animals stored calcium and phosphorus in excess over that estimated to be contained in the litter at birth. During the period of lactation, the input of both calcium and phosphorus increased markedly, but this increase was not sufficient in most cases to account for the storage of these elements by the young. The animals were consequently in negative balance. Balances were carried out during 2 successive periods of pregnancy and lactation.Other experiments to determine the effects of variations in the reaction of the diet are in progress.