8G6 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



very great amount, especially wbeu we consider that tlie Malay at least, and, we 

 believe, the Chinese and Japanese also, seldom drink with their meals; the 

 majority of them drink afterward, and even then only small quantities. An 

 average European very frequently drinks as much as 1 liter of liquid with each 

 meal, so that his meal certainly is a much more voluminous one than that of 

 the rice-eating Oriental." 



As a result of their met.-ibolism experiments, the authors reach the following 

 conclusions : 



"It was not possible to establish nitrogen e(iuilibrlum, even in cases where 

 the nitrogen intake was comparatively high, if the number of calories taken was 

 below 1,800 for 50 kg. of body weight ; on the other hand, if the number 1,S0() 

 was equaled or exceeded, then 9 gm. of nitrogen per 50 kg. of body weight were 

 sufficient. If a less quantity of nitrogen then the above figure was taken with 

 the food, then the loss of nitrogen exceeded the amount taken, even if the num- 

 ber of calories reached 2,200. However, with an intake of 5 to 6 gm. of nitrogen, 

 the deficit amounted to less than 2 gm. Consequently, we are justified in con- 

 cluding that in some instances 8 gm. of nitrogen per 50 kg., or 0.16 gm. per 

 kilogram of body weight, are sufficient. This value is higlier than the lowest 

 limit found by other authors, who succeeded in establishing nitrogen equilibrium 

 on 0.1 gm. per kilogram of body weight. . . . 



" While it is not possible to establish an exact phosphorus minimum, just as 

 it is impossible to establish a nitrogen minimum, our experiments show that an 

 intake of less than 1.65 gm. of phosphorus per 50 kg. of body weight, or 0.033 

 gm. phosphoric anhydrid per Ivilogram, is insufficient to cover the demand of 

 the body for phosphorus. The quantities given by most authors are consider- 

 ably higher than this figure. ... A diet consisting of white rice, bread, bacon, 

 and other foodstuffs poor in phosphorus does not cover the demand of the body 

 for that element, even with the addition of small quantities of fish. However, 

 the phosphorus balance becomes positive if unix)lished rice, rice bran, or phytin 

 is added to the food. . . . The body loses phosphorus when on a diet consist- 

 ing mainly of white rice, while on the same diet, red rice being substituted, the 

 amount of that element exceeds the demand of the body." 



The experiments of other investigators on the so-called " tone" of the " cata- 

 bolic cell metabolism " suggested that the " tone " of the cell metabolism of the 

 ordinary Malay must be very low. Attempts were made to conduct experiments 

 with mental rest and mental work, and to note differences in i)hosphorus metab- 

 olism, but without satisfactory results, partly on account of the unwillingness 

 of the subjects to apply themselves for more than short periods. 



Action of heat on the peroxydiastase of wheat grains at different stag'es 

 of ripening-, A. Khrennikoff (Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol. [Paris], 12 {1912), No. 

 5, pp. 193, 19 Jf). — In all the samples examined the resistance of peroxydiastase 

 to heat was found to be the same. In extracts of crushed grain filtered through 

 fine cloth a temperature of 70° maintained for 10 minutes produced a decrease 

 of peroxydiastatic activity; a temperature of 80° maintained for 10 minutes 

 destroyed peroxydiastase, as did also a temperature of 85° maintained from 

 3 to 5 minutes. Unfiltered extracts required a greater degree of heat main- 

 tained for a longer time to produce this effect. 



The causes of the modification of the quality of gluten during the heating 

 of the grain, J. Apsit (Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol. [Paris], 72 {1912), No. 5, pp. 

 195, 196). — Studies of the effect of heating upon gliadin and glntenin. 



Acidity in wheat flour, J. W. Calvin and Lelia Dunton {Dixie Miller, 37 

 {1912). No. 3, pp. 38, 39). — ^A discussion of the cause of acidity in flours and 

 the question whether acidity is to be considered a mark of poor quality. 



