The Bisulphite Binding Power of the Blood in Health and in Disease, with Special Reference to Vitamin B(1) Deficiency.

There is increasing evidence that the biological function of vitamin B1 is concerned with oxidative processes in the living organism. In studies of oxygen utilization by manometric methods, Peters and his coworkers (1, 2) have shown that there is increased oxygen uptake by deficient brain and kidney tissues in vitro following the addition of vitamin B1. In the same laboratory Thompson and Johnson (3, 4) found increased amounts of carbonyl compounds in the blood of B1 avitaminotic pigeons and rats. Clinical confirmation has recently been given these experimental findings by Platt and Lu (5), who reported marked increases in the carbonyl compounds in the blood of patients with acute beriberi in the Orient. These authors measured the carbonyl compounds by means of the bisulphite binding power of the blood. Pyruvic acid has received most attention, chiefly through the emphasis given to it by Peters et al. (2). Thompson and Johnson concluded that the major portion of the increase in bisulphite binding substances (B.B.S.) in the blood of pigeons and rats severely deficient in vitamin B1 was due to pyruvic acid. On the other hand, Sherman and Elvehjem (6) found no increase in the B.B.S. in the blood of chickens deficient in vitamin B1, but did find that these birds, in contrast to normal birds, showed a sharp rise in blood B.B.S. after the intravenous injection of sodium pyruvate. Platt and Lu in a recent report (7) state that the increases in B.B.S. in the blood of fulminating cases of beriberi are due mainly to pyruvic acid. For 2 years an investigation has been in progress in this laboratory on patients with symptoms and signs of vitamin B1 deficiency closely resembling those seen in oriental "wets" beriberi (8,