FOODS — HUMAN NUTRITION". 659 



animals. The different parts treat of tlie nutrition of plants and their relation 

 to animals, the nutrition of Protozoa, sponges. Coelenterata, worms, achene, 

 Crustacea, Arachnids, insects, mollusks, fish, and the higher vertebrates. A 

 bibliography and index are provided. As a whole the volimie, which is designed 

 as a reference handbook, presents an exhaustive digest of available information 

 on the subject. 



Manual of practical physiology, J. C. Hemmetkr (PJiiUidelplihi, V.U2, Pft- 

 XXII +223, figs. 55). — This volume is designed as a laboratory handbook for 

 medical students. 



Some of the subjects considered are the law of contraction, electromotive 

 phenomena of muscle and nerve, the effect of chemical substances and poisons 

 on the heart, the blood, respiration, nervous system, vision, fermentation, inter- 

 nal secretion, immunity, and vasomotor nerves. An index of authors cited and 

 a general index are provided. 



A text-book of physiology for medical students and physicians, W. H. 

 PIowELL (I'liUadelphia and London, 1911, Jf. ed., rev., pp. 1018+16, pis. 9, fiffs. 

 297). — In preparing the new edition of this work the author has aimed to 

 include the results of recent investigations but at the same time, as in previous 

 editions, to avoid too great detail. As a whole, the volume is a comprehensive 

 handbook. 



The chapters of special interest in connection with nutrition are as follows: 

 General methods — history of the protein food; nutritive history of carbohy- 

 drates and fats; nutritive value of the inorganic salts and the accessory articles 

 of diet ; effect of muscular work and temperature on body metabolism — heat 

 energy of foods — dietetics ; and the production of heat in the body — its measure- 

 ment and regulation, body temperature, calorimetry, physiological oxidations. 



In addition, the volume contains in an appendix a section on proteins and 

 their classification and one on diffusion and osmosis. 



State and municipal documents as sources of information for institution 

 managers and other students of home economics, C. F. Lang worthy (Jour. 

 Home Econ., 4 {1912), No. 1, pp. 59-73). — A digest of data on food, nutrition, 

 and other topics related to home economics, designed to show the great value 

 of state and municipal documents as sources of information. 



Sixteenth report on food products and fourth report on drug products, 

 1911, J. P. Street (Connectieut State Stu. Rpt. 1911, pt. 2, pp. 101-218).— A 

 total of 1,406 samples of miscellaneous food products and drugs were examined, 

 including those collected by the station, by the state dairy commissioner, and 

 secured through other sources. 



Among the foods examined were a large number of samples of chocolate and 

 cocoa. As shown by average values, the so-called " soluble " cocoas contain 

 about the same amounts of fat and nitrogen as the untreated cocoas, and, as 

 might be expected, show a higher total ash, higher water-soluble ash, and higher 

 alkalinity of ash. " The most strilving fact brought out by these averages is 

 that while 1.7 per cent more of the total cocoa is soluble in boiling water, over 

 3 per cent less of organic matter is soluble in cold water. In other words, the 

 apparent slightly increased solubility is due to the added all^ali and not to any 

 change in the cocoa mass itself. On the average, the ' soluble ' cocoas show a 

 lower water-solubility of the cocoa mass than those brands making no claim to 

 superior solubility." 



A number of gluten preparations are included among the foods examined. 

 One of these was relatively low in starch and high in protein. The others con- 

 tained from 32.27 to 68.85 per cent starch. 



A carbohydrate food recommended as a substitute " for cane sugar, honey, 

 sirup, and all artificially prepared sweets, which produce diabetes," was also 



