556 Proceedings Columbia Biochemical Association [July 



Although the results are not quantitatively exact, they strongly 

 indicate that this type of electricity is in no degree harmful to 

 pancreatic amylase; that the treatment of a fresh Solution for from 

 3 to 20 min. is probably beneficial, giving an increase of from 5 to 

 20 per Cent, in activity ; that longer treatment is without effect ; and 

 that Solutions which stand for about 24 hr. at room temperature 

 Mr. Punnett's report.) 



It may be noted that the direct current has an exactly opposite 

 effect on enzymes, as has recently been shown by Burge.^^ Further 

 work along these lines is desirable. 



(Mr. John W. Radu, Superintendent and Chief Engineer of the 

 Van Houten and Ten Broeck Co., made some very interesting 

 demonstrations with the electrical apparatus at the conclusion of 

 Mr. Punnett's report.) 



105. A further study of the distribution of osseomucoid. 

 Christian Seifert and William J. Gies. Ten years ago we 

 published data showing that osseomucoid is a constituent of the 

 main limb bones (the only ones investigated) in thirteen species of 

 mammals, ten of birds, two of reptiles and one of fish.^^ At that 

 time we concluded that osseomucoid is probably a constituent of all 

 bones. In resumption of this study, and proceeding by the original 

 methods, we have lately separated osseomucoid from the main limb 

 (or skull) bones of the following additional species: mammals — 

 monkey (mangabey and spider), horse, fox, raccoon, white rat; 

 hirds — dove, meadow hen ; fish — sculpin. The research is in progress. 



106. A further effort to prepare a colorless biuret reagent. 

 A. W. Thomas. In extension of the work described by Kantor 

 and Gies,^^ I have endeavored to prepare a colorless biuret reagent. 

 Cuprous thiocyanate was thought to be a good Substitute for copper 

 Sulfate because of its white (or grayish white) color, but treatment 

 with alkali caused decomposition of this salt, resulting in precipita- 

 tion of a yellowish red modification of cuprous oxide ; and the Solu- 

 tion, which contained some of the undecomposed Compounds, 

 rapidly assumed a blue color due to oxidation. It was possible to 

 obtain a nearly colorless reagent with cuprous iodide, but oxidation 

 promptly brought about the inevitable result — a blue Solution. 



lö Bürge: Amer. Jour. of PhysioL, 1913, xxxi, p. 328; xxxii, p. 41. 



20 Seifert and Gies : Amer. Jour. of PhysioL, 1903, x, p. 148. 



21 Kantor and Gies: Biochemical Bulletin, 1911, i, p. 264. 



