464 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Army bread, J. Chevalieb and C. Heudebekt {2. Cong. Internal. Hyg. 

 Aliment. Bruxelles [Proc], 1910, Sect. 2, pp. 186-189) .—The difficulty of pro- 

 ducing a satisfactory bread for armies in the field is discussed and a new type 

 of bread is described. 



Gluten bread — ^breads for special diets, J. Chevalieb (2. Cong. Internat. 

 Hyg. Aliment. Bruxelles [Proc], 1910, Sect. 2, pp. 181-185). — Analyses are 

 reported of gluten bread and other special food preparations on sale in Paris. 

 The ordinary baker's bread now produced in Paris the author considers less 

 digestible because more quickly raised and less carefully baked than was 

 formerly the case. He recommends that all labels be required to state the in- 

 gredients of the goods represented and that standards be set by which the 

 therapeutic value of different sorts may be measured. 



Soluble carbohydrate of chestnut flour, G. Leoncini (Staz. Sper. Agr. Ital., 

 U {1911), No. 2, irp. 113-118; abs. m Chem. ZentU., 1911, I, No. 26, p. 1873).— 

 Flour prepared from chestnuts was extracted with water and a little lead 

 acetate, and the filtrate was polarized. About 26 per cent of surcose was found 

 to be present. Erythro-, amylo-, and acro-dextrin were absent. It is suggested 

 that possibly these may be formed when chestnuts are roasted at too high a 

 temperature. 



Volna, a meat substitute, Kochs {Pharm. Zentralhalle, 52 {1911), No. 50, 

 p. 13-'f4). — ^An analysis with the calculated energy value of this German com- 

 mercial meat substitute is reported and the cost of its nutrients per pound 

 computed. 



The presence of arsenic in food gelatin, O. Kopke (Ar&. K. Gsndhtsamt., 

 38 {1911), No. 8, pp. 290-293). — Twelve specimens of commercial gelatin in- 

 tended for use as human food were tested for arsenic, the amounts found vary- 

 ing from minute traces to 0.3 mg. in 10 gm. of material. Since gelatin is 

 frequently prepared from waste products of tanneries, leather factories, etc., 

 the arsenic used in tanning or later in preserving leather may be the source of 

 the arsenic in the gelatin. On the other hand, arsenic may not have been in- 

 tentionally used with materials selected for gelatin making, but may have 

 been unintentionally introduced with the reagents used, for many chemicals 

 accidentally contain minute traces of arsenic. This may, for example, be the 

 case when gelatin is made from bones. The protection of public health, the 

 author believes, demands further investigation along these lines. 



The composition of tincture of ginger, H. C. Lythgoe and L. I. Nurenbeko 

 {Jour. Indus, and Engin. Chem., 3 {1911), No. 12, pp. 910-912). — Tinctures of 

 ginger were prepared from powdered Jamaica, African, and Cochin ginger root, 

 and from a sample of ginger oleoresin. Alcohols of strength varying from 95 

 to 30 i>er cent were used. Commercial tinctures of ginger were also analyzed. 



It appeared that the amount of alcohol-soluble materials was the same when 

 alcohols of any strength over 70 per cent were used; the amount extracted 

 with weaker alcohols was less. Oleoresin required 95 per cent alcohol to pro- 

 duce a tincture of the same strength as tincture of ginger root made with 70 

 per cent alcohol. 



Concerning the sale of food materials exposed in public streets, M. HoN- 

 NOBAT and E. Kohn-Abrest {2. Cong. Internat. Hyg. Aliment. Bruxelles [Proc], 

 1910, Sect. 3, pp. 155-161). — ^The authors cite various recent investigations into 

 the dangers of bacterial contamination of foods exposed in streets or in unclean 

 shops, or produced under insanitary conditions, and summarize the regulations 

 recently adopted by the municipal and departmental authorities in Paris for 

 the protection of the consumer, esi>ecially in the case of vegetables and fruits 

 likely to be eaten raw. 



