450 Biological Division, American Chemical Society [April-July 



ratios in some of tlie foods are confirmed by the results of the ani- 

 mal feeding tests. Foods prepared with milk and water give uni- 

 formly better results than those prepared with water alone. 



A comparative study on puppies of the value of lactose and mai- 

 tose was made. 



Factors influencing the quality of American sardines. F. C. 

 Weber and H. W. Houghton. (Bur. of Chem., U. S. Dep't of 

 "Agric.) This paper embodies some of the results of the observations 

 and studies conducted in the lab. established by the Bur. of Chem., 

 of the Dep't of Agric, at Eastport, Maine, during the season of 

 1913. It does not refer to the packing of sardines in Cal. 



The Chief factors responsible for the lack of uniform quality in 

 oil and mustard sardines packed on the eastern coast are : ( i ) Excess- 

 ive pickling and salting, which removes a large amount of protein 

 material (amino Compounds), and lack of attention in securing a 

 uniform degree of salting. (2) Use of fish containing undigested 

 food, particularly " red f eed," which is the principal cause of broken 

 and damaged fish. (3) The steaming process, which removes a 

 great deal of salt and flavor from the fish. (4) Insufficient drying 

 of the fish before packing, causing in the finished product a milky 

 appearance of the oil, a slight soapy taste, and a softening of the fish. 

 (5) Variations in the composition of the fish at different times of 

 the year and from different localities, particularly in regard to the 

 fat content. (6) Quantity and quality of oil used. (7) Freezing 

 and thawing of the packed goods. 



Considering all the possibilities in connection with this industry, 

 the most important of which is the packing for quality rather than 

 quantity, as is done at present, it is believed that sardines could be 

 produced in this country that would be as good in every respect as 

 foreign sardines. 



The f ollowing papers were also read and discussed — W. D. Ban- 

 croft: Coagulation of albumen by electrolytes. — A. W. Dox: A sol- 

 uble Polysaccharide in lower f ungi. — L. /. Henderson, W. W. Palmer 

 and L. H. Newhurgh: Colloidal swelling and hydrogen ion concen- 

 tration. — L. /. Henderson and W. W. Palmer: The functions of 

 ammonium and phosphoric acid in the regulatory excretion of acid : 

 — W. J. V. Osterhout: The chemical dynamics of living protoplasm. 



