Abstract
(1) We have studied on the electrocardiogram and the histology of the hearts of the underfed and unfed rats. As we found that there were no electrocardiographic changes and myocardial degenerations in these rats, we believe that there could be no electrocardiographic changes caused by undernourishment (mere calorie deficiency) without thiamine deficiency. In other words, the various electrocardiographic changes which were observed in the thiamine deficient rats were due to thiamine deficiency only and not to starvation.
(2) We have studied the vagal effect on the electrocardiographic changes of thiamine deficient rats. Worsening of bradycardia and arrhythmia by Neostigmine injection and improvement of arrhythmia by Atropine were observed but both injections showed no effect on the complexes of electrocardiogram. From these findings the authors found out that bradycardia and arrhythmia of thiamine deficient rats are related with vagus and that the changes of electrocardiographic comprexes are not related with it.
