Vitamin D in ergot of rye / by Edward Mellanby, Ella Surie, and Douglas Creese Harrison.

  • Edward Mellanby
Date:
[1929?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Vitamin D in ergot of rye / by Edward Mellanby, Ella Surie, and Douglas Creese Harrison. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    2/10 page 711
    The calcifying action of ergot. The following sample experiment shows that 2 to 5 g. of ergot added daily to a diet which alone produces rickets assist the calcification processes and tend to prevent rickets. Exp. 1. Two puppies of one litter were given a rickets-producing basal diet: 1302 received the basal diet only; 1305 was given in addition 2 to 5 g. of powdered ergot. Age at beginning: 7 weeks. Duration of experiment: 19 weeks. Basal diet: 100-160 g. bread, 20 g. lean meat, 20 g. separated milk powder, 10 cc. olive oil, 2*5 g. dried yeast, 3 cc. orange juice, 1 g. sodium chloride. No. of Variations animal in diet 1302 Basal diet 1305 Basal diet+ 2 to 5 g. of ground ergot Initial Weight at time of X-ray Gain wt. weight (19 wks.) in 19 wks. g* g- g- 2400 6985 4585 2510 5820 3310 Clinical and radiographic diagnosis of bone condition Bad rickets (Plate II, fig. 1) Normal: no rickets (Plate II, fig. 2) It is evident that the addition of 2 to 5 g. of ergot daily to the basal diet has prevented rickets. The solubility of the calcifying agent in alcohol. Exp. 2. 800 g. of ground ergot were extracted twice with 2400 cc. of absolute alcohol. In the first extraction the mixture was boiled for 1 hour and in the second for ^ hour. The extracts were filtered hot and the alcohol was removed from the combined filtrates under reduced pressure, leaving an oily residue. Four puppies of the same litter were given a rickets-producing basal diet: 1388 received the basal diet only; 1386 was given in addition the alcoholic extract representing 2 to 4 g. of ergot daily; 1387 was given in addition the residue of ergot after extraction with alcohol, equivalent to 2 to 4 g. of ergot daily; 1389 was given in addition 2 to 4 g. of ergot daily. Age at beginning: 6 weeks. Duration of experiment: 11 weeks. Basal diet: 70-80 g. oatmeal, 20-30 g. separated milk powder, 20 g. lean meat, 10 cc. olive oil, 2-5 g. dried yeast, 3 cc. orange juice, 2-3 g. sodium chloride. Weight at time Initial of X-ray Gain wt. Clinical and radiographic No. of Variations weight (11 wks.) in 11 wks. diagnosis of bone animal in diet g- g- g- condition 1386 Basal diet + ale. ext. of 2 to 4 g. ergot 1725 4720 2995 Rickets (much less than in 1387 and 1388) 1387 Basal diet + ergot re¬ sidue after ale. ex¬ traction 1630 4160 2530 Very bad rickets 1388 Basal diet only 1415 3450 2035 Very bad rickets 1389 Basal diet + 2 to 4 g. ergot 1790 3400 1610 Rickets (much less than in 1387 and 1388) It is evident that most of the calcifying action of the original ergot is present in the alcoholic extract and that the residue after extraction is devoid of any calcifying effect. The fact that oatmeal forms the cereal in this experiment probably accounts largely for the fact that 1386 and 1389 both have some rickets.
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