The Chronicle=News

Berlin. August 2.--Dr. Max Moszowski, of Berlin, who has won distinction by his scientific researches in New Guinea, succeeded in giving himself an unmistakable case of beri-beri by living for 138 days upon a diet consisting almost exclusively of hulled rice. He believes his experiments support the theory formerly held by him, that beri-beri is a disease induced by certain foods and not due to an infection of any kind from without. as has been maintained by many investigators.

Dr. Moszowski. who in 1911 advanced his theory in an address before the Berlin Medical Society. reported at the society's last meeting the results of the experiment which he has just finished. After a few weeks of hulled rice diet the nervous disturbances accompanying beri-beri appeared. and the case was then diagnosed as beri-beri by Dr. Schuffner, the noted authority in this line.

The typical dropsical affection of the skin followed. with soreness of certain groups of muscles. stomachic disturbances, and eventually the typical and dangerous irregularities of the heart action.

Dr. Moszowski then treated himself with injections of an extract prepared from rice hulls. He recovered rapidly and is now quite well.

Injections of this extract also cured pigeons and hens which had become affected with beri-beri after a hulled rice diet.

Dr. Moszowski believes the hulled rice contains a poisonous substance which is neutralized when the hulls also are eaten.

Furthermore. the fact that the phosphorus content of rice lies entirely in the hull probably is of importance.

He believes that beri-beri has a distinct relationship to scurvy and rickets.