Experimental rickets : the effect of cereals and their interaction with other factors of diet and environment in producing rickets / by Edward Mellanby.

  • Edward Mellanby
Date:
1925
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Experimental rickets : the effect of cereals and their interaction with other factors of diet and environment in producing rickets / by Edward Mellanby. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    It will be noticed that oatmeal, the worst offender so far as the production of rickets is concerned, contains the least carbohydrate (67-5 per cent.) while white flour and rice, the least rickets- producing, contain as much as /6’4 and 79*0 per cent, caibohydrate respectively. It would appear then quite definite that the cause of differences in the rickets-producing action of the various cereals must be sought along other lines than their carbohydrate content. But while this is the case, it would be wrong to discount completely the part played by carbohydrates in problems of bone- calcification of growing animals. The more rapid growth which may result from additional carbohydrate in the diet will obviously call for a larger supply of those substances such as anti-rachitic vitamin and calcium essential for bone-calcification. Increasing the carbohydrate of the diet would be expected to bring about larger bones and, if the calcifying vitamin is deficient, relatively more defectively formed bones. Although, therefore, the part played by carbohydrate will not be considered further in this publication it is necessary to mention that its action in producing rickets or at least defective bone-calcification is probably of some importance. From the point of view of supplying material for growth purposes,^ the protein of cereal can probably be regarded also as an offender in a similar category to carbohydrate. It is clear, however, that the differences in rickets-producing effect of the cereals cannot be explained on the basis of their carbohydrate constituents. (B) The Mineral Salt Content of Cereals. Just as the clinician has often ascribed nutritional disorders in children following the ingestion of excessive cereal to its carbo¬ hydrate content, so the agriculturist has put the blame on its salt content. The ash of cereals contains so many mineral elements that it is obviously possible to formulate many hypotheses as to the manner in which variations in this group of substances might act. A few of these will be discussed in the light of the experimental results above described, and then further experiments dealing with the action of other cereal constituents will be dealt with. (i) The Absolute and Relative Amounts of Calcium and Phosphorus in Cereals. It is clear that the development of rickets must ultimately be brought into relationship with defects in the calcium and phosphorus metabolism. The diet of growing animals must contain sufficient calcium and phosphorus to provide that amount which is normally incorporated in perfect bones and other tissues. Other¬ wise, whatever the condition, the bones will either be imperfectly calcified or growth will be delayed. The point of view is so obvious that it has received abundant consideration by those investigating the aetiology of rickets. Some indeed have thought deficient intake of calcium or of phosphorus or of both of these elements affords the explanation of the disease. Dibbelt [20], Heubner [21]. On the whole, however, this point of