Joel R. Stern

Effect of Antibiotics on Intestinal Microflora and on Growth of Turkeys and Pigs.

Conclusions In view of the inhibitory effect of penicillin and terramycin on C. perjringens in the intestinal tract of turkeys and of terramycin in pigs, it appears possible that these antibiotics promote growth by preventing enterotoxemia. This possibility is supported by data gathered by Merchant( 16 ) which show that enterotoxemia in sheep is caused by C. perjringens.

Relation of vitamin B12 to liver basophilia.

Summary The growth of weanling white rats was stimulated by inclusion of vitamin B12 or of whole dried liver in the diet. Rats which received no B12 or liver grew poorly and showed little or no liver basophilia, whereas those which received B12 or liver grew well and showed considerable cytoplasmic basophilia in their liver cells.

Effect of vitamin B12 deficiency on chick plasma proteins

Abstract The effect of vitamin B12 deficiency upon the levels of plasma protein and its fractions in chicks was studied. At both 4 and 8 weeks, plasma protein of vitamin B12-supplemented chicks, both male and female, was significantly higher than that of deficient chicks. Plasma protein fractions were determined after treatment of plasma with differing concentrations of sodium sulfate. For both males and females, there were significant differences between B12-deficient and supplemented chicks with regard to total plasma protein and albumin. In the females, B12-supplemented and deficient chicks also differed with regard to total globulin and pseudoglobulin II; in the cockerels, euglobulin was higher in the B12-supplemented birds. Prothrombin times were higher and fibrinogen levels were lower in the vitamin B12-deficient chicks than in the supplemented chicks. It seems possible that B12 functions in protein metabolism by stimulating formation of ribonucleoprotein and plasma proteins.

The effect of vitamin B12 deficiency on erythrocyte counts and hemoglobin levels of chick embryo blood.

Abstract Experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of vitamin B 12 deficiency upon hemoglobin levels and erythrocyte counts in White Leghorn chicks and embryos. Hemoglobin and red cell counts on vitamin B 12 -supplemented embryo blood were significantly higher than on blood of B 12 -deficient embryos from the 18th to 21st day of incubation. Vitamin B 12 injected into the egg was as effective in raising embryo hemoglobin levels and red cell counts as B 12 added to the diet of the laying hens. Terramycin added to a B 12 -deficient diet for hens did not improve hemoglobin levels or erythrocyte counts in hatched chicks in spite of the fact that hatchability was markedly improved. The relation between B 12 , terramycin, and hatchability is discussed.