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This injection caused no rise in temperature, and the general health of the horse was well maintained.
November 7th, 1904.-The swellings have entirely gone and the animal is well in every respect.
November 11th, 1904.-Rheumatism with swelling of the knees set in, render- ing the animal unable to walk. This condition set in suddenly, and, in our opinion, had nothing to do with the disease under consideration. The knee-jerks were present and not diminished or exaggerated, and there was no evidence otherwise of the presence of Beri-beri.
November 15th, 1904.-The horse is able to move slowly, although crippled. The swelling of the knee joints has practically disappeared. There is no pain or tenderness on pressure over the hip muscles, and the knee-jerks are present.
November 16th, 1904.--The temperature has remained normal since the com- mencement of the experiment. The animal is unable to stand to-day. The hind legs are stiff and spastic. The knee-jerks are greatly increased. The breathing is rapid and laboured, and there is some distension of the abdomen.
November 23rd, 1904. The former symptoms have all but disappeared. The animal is now able to rise and walk on all-fours. The temperature is normal, and the horse enjoys its feed and has no diarrhea.
From this time onwards the horse maintained good health. paralyses. The knee-jerks were normal and the animal fed well.
There were no
January 27th, 1905.-The animal died to-day from inanition. Previous to its death it shewed no evidence of Beri-beri.
Post-mortem examination.-Nothing of note found.
Comments. The stiffness and lameness of the animal during part of the experiment is, in our opinion, to be attributed to rheumatism. This was probably contracted by exposure and cold, the animal having but meagre house accommo- dation. Again, it must be noted that the animal was old and decrepit when bought for experimental purposes. Taking everything into consideration the cause of death cannot be attributed to Beri-beri.
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS ON EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCHES.
1. It has been found impossible to convey Beri-beri to any of the animals used for the experiments.
2. Monkeys have been used extensively and experimented upon in a great variety of ways, including that recommended by HAMILTON WRIGHT. To no instance has any one of them exhibited the slightest trace of Beri-beri infection.
3. The Pigs used for the experiments shewed signs of lameness, etc., and a -condition simulating Beri-beri was once or twice reproduced. The animals, how- ever, were frequently subjected to somewhat rough handling by the attendants, and this, coupled with the continued observation of their progress, and the result of post-mortem examination, leads us to the conclusion that a condition of true Beri- beri never existel.
4. In regard to the other animals, viz., Sheep, Calves, Rabbits, Fowls, etc., not- withstanding vigorous experimental efforts, we have been unable to call from them the slightest evidence of Beri-beri infection.
5. As a result of our extensive experiments it would appear that the trans- ference of Beri-beri infection from man to animals is impossible. It may be pos- sible that animals contract the disease through other channels. This, however, we doubt.
6. These experimental researches, negative though they may be, possess in our opinion great value as they practically prove in opposition to H. WRIGHT and others, that in Beri-beri we are not dealing with an infectious disease, but with one of an entirely different etiology.
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