264 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Assoc, 57 (1911), No. 21, pp. 1684, 1685, figs. 2).— A preliminary note on ex- 

 periments indicating that lesions similar to those of pellagra in man were at- 

 tributable to feeding corn meal inoculated with cultures of bacteria obtained 

 from the feces of pellagrous patients. 



It is stated that the experiments will be continued. 



On the relation of the organic phosphorus content of various diets to 

 diseases of nutrition, particularly beriberi, I, G. C. E. Simpson and E. S. 

 Edie (Ann. Trap. Med. and Par., 5 {1911), No. 2, pp. 313-345). — An extended 

 digest of data is presented regarding diseases such as beriberi and ricliets, 

 attributed to faulty diets and frequently to deficient assimilation of organic 

 phosphorous. 



In addition the authors briefly report the results of experiments made with 

 pigeons on rice, bai'ley, and so-called standard (whole wheat) and white bread. 

 Their results confirm the unfavorable influence which other investigators noted 

 " of polished rice, steamed rice, and steamed barley fully, and the protective 

 influence of whole rice, whole barley, rice meal, yeast, aud Katjang-idjo." The 

 curative effects of yeast in pigeons severely affected with neuritis were more 

 marked than the authors expected and so much so that they " were astonished 

 at the rapidity and completeness with which the birds recovered." 



On an exclusive diet of white flour bread pigeons became ill and died, show- 

 ing marked degenerative changes in their peripheral nerves. The average 

 duration of life was 29 days and the average loss of weight 2G per cent. On an 

 exclusive diet of whole wheat bi-ead the birds continued active aud well, main- 

 tained their weight and condition, and on an average gained 8 per cent of their 

 original weight. 



The possible bearing of these experiments on rickets in children is discussed. 



"With reference to the curative effects noted with yeast and other substances 

 the authors hope to present " the results of [their] attempt to isolate the active 

 principle, whether it be one of the organic phosphorus compounds or a substance 

 which associates itself with these in its reactions, as do ferments with nucleo- 

 proteids." 



The etiology of beriberi with special reference to the theory that it is 

 due to insufficient phosphorus, Y. Teruuchi (Saikingaku Zasshi, 1910, No. 

 119, pp. 1-32; aljs. in Zentbl. Biochem. u. Biopliys., 11 {1911), No. 16-17, pp. 

 719, 720). — Rice bran was extracted with dilute hydrochloric acid, the extract 

 loade slightly alkaline, the precipitate removed, and the filtrate evaporated to 

 dryness on a water bath and extracted a number of times with warm absolute 

 alcohol. The material obtained after evaporating the alcohol prevented poly- 

 neuritis when fed to pigeons in addition to polished rice, and induced recovery 

 \Ahen fed to pigeons suffering from this disease. The phosphorous content was 

 ^ery smnll, representing 1/1,000 part of the phosphorus present in the original 

 bran. The author concludes, therefore, that it is not the phosphorus compound 

 but some other constituent of rice bran which prevents the occurrence of poly- 

 neuritis in birds. 



Internal secretions — their physiological status and their importance in 

 pathology, A. Biedl {Innere Sekretion — ihre physiologischcn Grundlageii und 

 Hire Bcdeutung fur die Patholngie. Berlin and Vietma, 1910, pp. XI+538). — 

 In this handbook and digest of data the author presents, a general account of 

 glandular activity, hormones, and theories pertaining to the subject, aud dis- 

 cusses glands and their secretions in detail, some of the chief headings being 

 the thyroid, thymus, suprarenal system, internal secretions of the stomach and 

 intestine, aud internal secretions of the kidney. 



An extended bibliography is an important feature of the work. 



