602 ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



cial scale can be done. When the egg-breaking season ends it is 

 })l:i lined lo follow (he products frozen or dried to the bakers, woik- 

 ing cooperatively with them to study the routine to which the egg 

 products are subjected and their rate of deterioration after thawing 

 or dissolving. 



Miuiy laboratory probU^ms are contemplated which will, it is hoped. 

 be applicable to industrial problems, even though they appear to 

 be essentially scientific. Such, for example, is the pushing of work 

 on the behavior of flesh enzyms in relation to the postmortem 

 chancres occurring in flesh foods, the variation in composition and 

 flesh changes caused by blood remaining in the tissues, the behavior 

 of various molds in relation to fleah chiinges, and the rapidity with 

 Avhich bacteria penetrate flesh. 



Probably the most important i)lans which are being made are for 

 the extension of the facts already obtained to the industry, that they 

 may be utilized promptly and efficiently for the good of the people. 

 It is comparatively easy to determine in the laboratory and by experi- 

 mental observation wherein the shipper errs or the middleman fails, 

 but it is extremely difficult to get this information to the shipper or 

 the middleman in such wise that he will understand, believe, and 

 apply it. 



DRUG INVESTIGATIONS. 



In addition to the routine analysis of drugs subject to the law, it is 

 the intention to continue the investigations toward arriving at more 

 satisfactory methods for the separation and determination of alkaloids 

 in complex mixtures and the assay of crude drugs, and the analysis 

 of fluid extracts and tinctures. As in the past, special attention will 

 be given to the improvement of the methods of analysis of opium 

 and complex mixtures containing varying quantities of opium. A 

 study of the" analytical methods now in use for the determination of 

 morphin in tablets and liquid mixtures will be continued. It is the 

 intention to investigate processes for the separation of codein in the 

 presence of other alkaloids and to continue the investigation of the 

 methods for the determination of nitroglycerin in nitroglycerin solu- 

 tions and tablets. Attention will be given to the study of pepsin and 

 of enzymic action in general, with a view to arriving at more satis- 

 factory methods of assay. The study of the methods of analysis of 

 senna, senna siftings, buchu, uva ursi, anise, fennel, coriander, carda- 

 mom, cubeb, and medicated soft drinks will be extended. 



A continuation of the pharmacology of caffein and of tin, as well 

 as biological testing and investigations of the action of digitalis, is 

 contemplated. 



MISCELLANEOUS DIVISION. 



The survey of the important mineral springs of the United States, 

 which includes a very comprehensive analysis of the water from 

 source, wnll l)e continued as heretofore. The examination of foreign 

 and domestic waters to determine whether or not they are properly 

 labeled imder the food and drugs act will be continued. Studies will 

 be made of improved methods of mineral-water analysis and the 

 radioactivity of certain mineral Avaters determined, the latter inves- 

 tigation applying especially to samples coming directly from source; 

 of the pollution of certain waters with reference to the effects of the 



