Experimental Rickets in Rats

A simple diet is presented which regularly induced rickets in young rats. 2. The substitution of 0.4 per cent secondary potassium phosphate for a small part of calcium lactate in this diet completely inhibited the development of rickets. 3. Quantitative determinations of calcium in the bodies of parallel rats showed a marked increase of calcium content in the rats receiving the added phosphate over those which developed rickets. 4. While it is thus shown by x-rays and by histological examinations and by quantitative chemical analysis that added potassium phosphate increased the assimilation and normal deposition of calcium, it may be the quantitative relationship between the inorganic ions rather than actual deficiency of any one of them which was here the determining factor in the cause or prevention of rickets. Our experiments and conclusions do not exclude the possibility of other causes of rickets than those here discussed.