Phosphate Treatment of Alumina Gel Weakness in Young Chicks

¹ From the Department of Experimental Medicine and the Poliomyelitis Respiratory and Rehabilitation Center, University of Buffalo Chronic Disease Research Institute, Buffalo, New York

Addition of large amounts of a reactive aluminum hydroxide gel (25 mg Al/gm of food) to the diet of young chicks produces a progressive syndrome of leg and wing weakness with retarded growth, leading to death within 10 days. Serum phosphorus levels were found to be one-third normal. This led to preventive experiments in which the response to daily intramuscular injections of phosphate salts in fat were tested in 402 chicks. The phosphate injections prevented the weakness and improved the growth and survival rate. When the phosphate treatment was begun after slight symptoms of weakness had developed, the symptoms did not progress; growth and survival rate improved. Injection of the fat vehicle alone had no effect. Since the syndrome was not completely reversed by the phosphate treatment, a multiple deficiency syndrome probably results from excessive intake of the gel; however, the weakness appears related directly to the phosphorus deficiency.