BIOLOGY. 293 



to state that of a breeder of some eminence, who, with a view to 

 an improvement in tlie condition of his herd, added molasses to 

 the dr}^ food he gave to his stock. It certainly produced the result 

 he anticipated, for their appearance and general condition were 

 most satisfactory ; but this was accompanied by an influence he 

 had never expected, for his stock,- which had always realized high 

 prices as breeding stock, now, with very few exceptions, proved 

 to be valueless for that object, male and female being alike 

 sterile. As soon as this was discovered, the supply of molasses 

 was stopped. But while the animals which had not been under 

 its influence maintained the original character of the herd, as 

 being good breeding stock, it is very doulrtful if any of the stock 

 which had been fed for any length of time upon 'food mixed with 

 molasses ever regained their breeding powers. It is more than 

 possible that a fatty degeneration of the ovaries took place, from 

 which they would but slowly recover under any ordinaiy treat- 

 ment. In another case, where molasses had been used for some 

 heifers which were fiittening, it had the effect of suppressing those 

 periodical returns of restlessness which prevent heifers feeding as 

 M^ell as steers ; and it kept them steadily progressing during^the 

 whole period of their fattening, and the result was highly satis- 

 factory. _ If, therefore, upon further trial, we find sugar influential 

 in checking the reproductive functions, we can, at any rate, exer- 

 cise a projjer discretion in its use ; and, while avoiding it for 

 breeding animals, we may encourage its employment when cows 

 or heifers have to be fattened." 



DIGESTIOIsr OF ANIMAL FOOD. 



Kecent discoveries tend to prove that gastric juice does not 

 simply liquefy fibrin and casein, but that it acts also on albumen 

 in such a way as to modify its molecular condition, and thereby 

 its chemical properties. If the albumen of an egg be injected 

 into the jugular vein, it passes unaltered to the blood, for it is 

 found in the secretions of the kidneys. It follows that albu- 

 men of the ego; must undergo a molecular change to render it fit 

 to become assimilated ; and we may assume, therefore, that it 

 experiences the same change in the stomach under the influence 

 of the ferment, called pepsin. Until recently, scientific men 

 had assumed that there must be an identity between albumen, 

 fibrin, and casein, which are the chief elements representing 

 animal food, still they have not been able to demonstrate theiT- 

 convertibility one into the other. Mr. Smee has accomplished 

 this, and has reversed the theory previously entertained as to what 

 takes place during digestion ; for he has established that fibrin, 

 or the clot of blood ; casein, or the curd of milk ; and albumen, 

 the serum of blood, are convertible into one fluid, which he has 

 called albuminose, or pectose. Mr. Smee has succeeded, then, 

 in reversing the problem, and has shown that albumen may be 

 converted into fibrin, and probably casein. To effect this inter- 

 esting change, he proceeds as follows : He passes a current of 

 pure oxj'gen gas through a solution of albumen of blood or egg, 

 25* 



