66 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



The author states that in this, the second edition, additions have been made, 

 particularly discussions of sour milk, whey, lacto-vegetarianism, and other 

 modes of dietetic treatment. 



The encyclopaedia of practical cookery, edited by T. F. Gaebett et al. 

 (London, [ISOS], vols. 1, pp. IV+5U, pis. 2Jf, figs. 634; 2, pp. 515-1006, pis. 20, 

 figs. 608; 3, pp. 432, pis. 16, figs. 549; 4, PP'- 433-S92, pis. 11, figs. 559).— Uten- 

 sils, kitchen equipment, the preparation and service of foods, and other related 

 matters are included, the material being arranged alphabetically in encyclopedic 

 form. Recipes for the preparation of foods make up the bulk of the material 

 and include dishes usually prepared by professional cooks as well as simpler 

 dishes. 



The science of foods, V. Ayee {Nat. Food Mag., 30 (1911), Nos. 2, pp. 125- 

 129, charts 4; 3, pp. 212-216, charts 4; 4, pp. 300-304, charts 4; 5, jrp. 401-403, 

 chart 1; 6, pp. 522-526). — The author has reproduced a number of the colored 

 food charts recently published by this Office (E. S. R., 24, p. 67) and has ac- 

 companied them by some general discussion of nutrition topics. 



Some post-mortem alterations of meat, J. B. Buxton (Jour. Roy. Inst. Pub. 

 Health, 19 (1911), No. 8, pp. 460-469).— A useful summary of data regarding 

 bacterial changes, preservation, and similar topics. 



Meat poisoning — its nature, causation, and prevention, E. J. McWeeney 

 (Jour. Meat and Milk Hyg., 1 (1911), Nos. 1, pp. 1-10; 2, pp. 65-11; 3, pp. 129- 

 131; 4, PP- 192-191). — A summary and digest of data regarding poisoning some- 

 times caused by meat and other foods, both animal and vegetable, due to the 

 typho-coli group of micro-organisms, the group of putrefactive aerobes (Pro- 

 teus, etc.), and the obligate anaerobes (Bacillus hotulinus) . 



Spoiled canned fish, O. Sammet (Hyg. Rundschau, 21 (1911), No. 18, pp. 

 1013-1011). — The author's conclusion is that in the case of canned fish " swells " 

 should never be used as food, even though the can contents be of normal appear- 

 ance and odor. He notes that while the flora of such canned goods usually 

 consists of harmless micro-organisms, yet bacteria are occasionally isolated 

 which are very injurious to health. 



Tin salts in canned foods of low acid content, with special reference to 

 canned shrimp, W. D. Bigelow and R. F. Bacon (U. S. Dcpt. Agr., Bur. Chcni. 

 Circ. 19, pp. 6; Jour. Indus, and Engin. Chem., 3 (1911), No. 11, pp. 832-834). — 

 Since it is now recognized that several varieties of fish and a number of vege- 

 tables, though almost without acidity, have a marked solvent action upon tin, 

 the matter was studied with a variety of canned foods particularly with 

 shrimps. The examination of a considerable number of canned goods about 

 6 months old showed that the tin per 100 mg. of acetic acid varied from 1.1 mg. 

 with plums to 93.3 mg. with salt fish, being generally higher with salt fish, 

 beets, corn, pumpkins, Lima beans, string beans, and peas than with fruits. 

 Similar results were obtained in a series of analyses made with canned goods 

 of unknown origin but at least 6 months old. 



In the case of shrimps it is recognized by packers that they contain some 

 corrosive substance which interferes with their handling and preservation. It 

 has also been pointed out that the substance seems to disappear when the 

 shrimps are preserved with ice. The canned shrimps studied were specially 

 packed under known conditions. A volatile alkaline substance was isolated, 

 apparently monomethylamin, which attacks tin quite markedly and also attacks 

 the skin of the hands. As shown by a test, the substance isolated from shrimps, 

 made up to such a volume that it was a deci-normal alkali, dissolved 6 mg. 

 each from two tin plates 2 by 3 in., when boiled for 1 hour. Another portion 

 of the solution neutralized with hydrochloric acid dissolved 5.8 mg. from each 

 plate, and a tenth-normal solution of methylamiu treated in the same way 



