The Healing of Rickets in Rats on a Diet Containing Negligible Amounts of Calcium and Vitamin D

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Abstract
Young rachitic rats, which were transferred to a synthetic diet of adequate phosphorus content but containing at most only traces of either calcium or vitamin D, showed a marked decrease in food consumption and developed tetany within 18 to 48 hours. After 48 hours the animals were divided into three groups: group I, sacrificed; group II, continued on synthetic diet; group III, given in addition irradiated ergosterol. Serum calcium and phosphorus of group I were approximately 6 and 10 mg., respectively, and the line test indicated slight healing. The food consumption of groups II and III increased after 48 hours and tetany disappeared. Serum calcium increased while phosphorus remained high. After a few weeks both groups of animals showed complete healing of the rickets. The absolute amount of ash in the femora of the animals of groups II and III appeared to be slightly more than those of group I. Since healing of the rachitic lesions and the possible slight increase in femur ash occurred on a diet containing negligible amounts of calcium the bone salts must have been transferred from calcified portions of the skeleton to the more rachitic parts. Furthermore, as healing took place in the animals not receiving irradiated ergosterol vitamin D is apparently not essential for this transference.