Evening star., 1936-03-31

Evidence of three or four hitherto
unknown vitaminS-all belonging to the
so-called B complex"-was presented
before the American Society Of Biological
Chemists meeting here last week.
The "B complex" is composed Of a
group of chemical substances, the ma
ture of some of which remains very
obscure, which are necessary in the diet
to promote growth and to prevent va
riouS pellagralike diseases. They are
found in wide variety Of common food
stuffs. Seven or eight possible factors
Of the complex which play different
physiological roles-but some Of which
may be duplications-were described or
postulated.
The first, vitamin B one, Is well estab-
ished. It was found nearly 30 years
ago in rice polishings, and since has
been obtained from cereals, nuts, seeds,
many vegetables, yeast, egg yolk, kidneys,
brains and sweet meats. It has growth
promoting function and is q preventive
of the nervous disease, beri-beri.
The second is vitamin B two, or the
vitamin G Of American PSYCHOLOGISTS,
which is growth promoting and which
long was supposed to be q pellagra pre-
ventive. This now is in doubt and
the doubt Is responsible for much of
the confusion. Four other vitanins In
the complex have been postulated, as
well as various fluorescent, yellowish-
green pigments obtained from yeast and
liver, which are known as flavinS.
DR.. Leila E. Booher Of Columbia Uni
versity described hypothetical vitamin
H-a new member Of the vitamin family
which is believed to exist in con-
centrate of rice polishings free from
vitamin B one and the fiavins. In very
small doses it Is active In promoting the
growth OF young rats.
c. A. Elvehjem, G. j. Koehn and J.
A. Oleson Of the University of Wisconsin
described an essential dietary factor
found in yeast and liver extract which is
distinct from vitamins B one, two, and
three and from the flavins. Without It
young rats fail to grow and die in from
four to eight weeks. Feeding Of liver
extract from which the other factors
have been removed, however, produces
q phenomenal growth response"
From the same department there was
described by H. r. Bitd, DR.. Evehjem
and e. B. Hart q so-called "chick gizzard
factor" contained In pork lung. liver,
kinney ana VaIlOuS Quiet 1OOOSs LeCA
of it in the diet produces characteristic
LESSONS In the gizzard Innings Of chickens
and its action does not seem to be dupi-
Gated by other constituents OF the B
complex.
Samuel Lepkovsly and Thomas H.
Jukes of the University Of California de-
scribed efforts to isolate so-called "hl-
trate" factor Of the B complex, which is
obtained from both beef liver and rice
bran and which is essential for promot.
ing growth and preventing skin dis
ease in chickens.
Still another. possible vitamin sub
stance described as mot identical with
any other known vitamin" was postu-
lated by Jane G. Lease, Eunice Kelly
and Helen T. Psrson Of the University
Of Wisconsin. A severe skin disease and
q nervous disorder can be produced In
both rats and chickens by feeding large
amounts Of raw white Of eggs. Whether
Q similar egg-white disease would be
possible in humans Is unknown, since
nobody Is ever likely to eat enough raw
egg-white to cause it. They found that
this disease can be completely cured
by injection Of potent factor prepared
| from liver.
vitamin z, the essential substance for
animal reproduction and which y con.