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Up to the date of death the animal never shewed the slightest symptom of Beri-beri. Its movements and sensations were normal at all times. There was never any epigastric tenderness or cedema of the extremities. The knee-jerks were normal.
Post-mortem Examination.--The large intestine shewed marked dysenteric ulceration and necrosis. The stomach and duodenum were normal.
The organs of the thorax were normal. There were no dropsical accumulations and a miscroscopical examination of the blood and spleen were negative as regards organ-
isms.
[A large number of experiments have been undertaken by this method. The subcutaneous inoculation of considerable quantities of Beri-beri blood, obtained from patients suffering from the disease in the acute form, seemed to us to offer good chances of transference of the disorder to animals, especially monkeys, and for the following reasons. Given that the experiments of HAMILTON WRIGHT on natural Beri-beri infection in monkeys are valid, and that there exist, according to certain observers, micro-cocci or other germs on the blood stream, such an experimental method of conveyance of the infection would be almost bound to result in a successful issue.]
Experiment No. II.
Animal-One monkey.
Nature of experiment :—
The technique employed was the same as that employed in Ex- periment No. I. The blood was obtained from a vein in the arm of an acute and edematous case of Beri-beri.
After a few days' observation the monkey was inoculated with
5 c.c. of blood on the 4th of October, 1904.
As will be observed from the attached temperature chart the injection of the blood occasioned no fever. The blood was also negative bacteriologically.
Up to the 20th October, 1904, i.e., over a fortnight since the commencement of the experiment the animal remained in perfect health. Its motor and sensory apparatus were normal and there was no epigastric tenderness.
On the 20th October, 1904, 5 c.c. of venous blood from another similar case of Beri-beri was injected subcutaneously. This inoculation was followed by a rise in temperature.
On the following day, namely, the 21st October, 10 c.c. of blood was subcutane- ously inoculated from an acute case. On this date the temperature was maintained at 150° F. From this time onwards there was a gradual defervescence.
Still another injection of 5 c.c. of venous blood was given ou the 27th October, 1904. This however occasioned no perceptible alteration in the temperature chart.
The temperature curve reached its normal about the beginning of November, that is, about 10 days after its initial rise.
During the febrile period the animal shewed but little signs of being ill. The appetite was poor, but there was no epigastric tenderness and all motor and sensory functions were carried out in a normal fashion. The blood was examined microscopically and bacteriologically on several occasions with a negative result.
that
From the beginning of November, 1904, the temperature remained norinal, so
continuation of the curve was unnecessary.
The monkey has remained in perfect health and is alive at the present time (October, 1905) functionating normally and to all appearance as well as other monkeys.