Abstract
The effect of the supplement of fish liver oil and skim milk to children living in the mountainous areas of north-eastern Main Island Japan and taking Japanese barnyard millet diet were observed.
Though the administration of fish liver oil has improved remarkably the threshold values of dark-adaptation, these values still remain below normal. A serving 26g of skim milk at school lunches 5 days a week for 9 months has brought them completely up to a normal level.
The cystine content in their hair did not increase significantly with the supplement of fish liver oil, whereas drinking skim milk for 25 days served to increase the content remarkably, and after 9 months the normal level of cystine content was obtained.
Supplement of fish liver oil to the children has decreased their urinary excretion of nitrogen, phosphorus, and has increased that of sulfur and thiamine. The fact that the administration of watersoluble vitamin together with fish liver oil to the children has increased their excretion of thiamine and riboflavin significantly shows that their customary diet was short of these vitamins.
