“…In Italy omission of thiamin in the multivitaminic preparations for intravenous use often leads to the onset of an unrecognised beri-beri. A favourable genetic [6] or acquired background may lead to the W-K syndrome, and nephrologists must remember that renal failure is an excellent acquired background, either for an enzymatic deficiency, such as defective transketolase activ ity [7,8], or for a water-soluble vitamin loss [9].…”