The effect of rachitogenic diets, partial inanition, and sex on the resistance of cotton rats to the virus of poliomyelitis

Abstract

T OOMEY (1937) ~ reported that the ingestion by Maaaca rhesus monkeys of massive doses of vitamins A, B, and C did not protect these animals from the effects of the virus of poliomyelitis when the latter was injected intraeerebrally or into the lumen or walt of the gut. On the other hand, when relatively large quantities of vitamin D were added to the diet, the monkeys were partially or wholly protected from the effects of the virus when the latter was injected into the lumen or walt of the gut , although they still became paralyzed when the virus was injected intracerebrally. Toomey deprived a nmnber of monkeys of vitamin D for a period of four months, which tim, e they received several injections of vaccines made from the organisms of the colon groups and their toxins. Suspensions of the virus of poliomyelitis were then administered to these animals by injections beneath the serosa or directly into the lumen of a segment of the gut which had been isolated between clamps. All of the monkeys with vitamin D deficiency expired with anterior poliomyelitis within a period of twelve days, whereas the controls developed mild paralyses from which they soon recovered. Another group of monkeys was deprived of vitamin D for a period of two months, which time they received from 150 to 200 e.c. of a 10 per cent suspension of the virus of poliomyelitis injected into the hlmen of the gut. The monkeys with vitamin D deficiency all contracted the disease, whereas the controls which were fed vitamin D survived. Sehultz (1932) 2 and Toomey (1937) 4 reported that the virus of poliomyelitis is inactivated in vitro following a somewhat prolonged, contact with ultraviolet irradiation. Toomey and Takaes (1938)6 stated that Flexner's eluted mixed virus is inactivated in vitro upon prolonged contact with ergosterol and with drisdol (crystalline vitamin D in propylene glycol). Itowever, inactivation of the virus of poliomyelitis was not demonstrable when crude suspensions of the virus were employed. Toomey and Takaes (1940) ~ and Toomey (1941) s reported the results of interesting studies during the course of which suspensions of the virus of poliomyelitis were injected into the center of the adrenal