310 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



On the estimation of purin bases in urine. K. L. Kknnaway (Jour. Pfipsioh, 

 3'J iUXUi), \o. .'/. I)/}. .i'.Hi-SIO). — Accordin},' to the author's sunuiiary, " uric acid, 

 when treated by the Camerer-Arnstein method for the estimation of tlie total 

 purins of urine, loses nitrogen in the form of ammonia. The formation of 

 auniioiiia occurs when the precipitate of silver-magnesium urate is boiled. 



" Till' jiurin l)as('S which were examined were foniid not to undergo this loss." 



A simple, rapid, and accurate method for the determination of ammonia 

 and acetone in urine, It. W. Kino {Jour. Amcr. Med. Assoc, 53 (l!)0!)). No. 21, 

 lilK HAS- 11)0. fifi. 1). — The author outlines a method for clinical purposes 

 which he considers satisfactory. 



A method for the estimation of urea, allantoin, and amino acids in the 

 urine, Dorothy E. Lindsay (Bio-Chem. Jour., .) (1909), No. 9, pp. JfJ,8-Ji5-'f). — 

 A critical study of methods. 



The chemistry of food fat in the intestinal tract, A. Rousselet {Jour. 

 PlKinn. cf ('him.. I!, scr.. 30 (1909). No. ,i, pp. (iO-tid). — An improved method of 

 extracting fat from feces, which insures the removal of the soaps, is described. 

 This is I)i-<)iiglit .-ibout by extraction with ether, treatment with alcohol con- 

 taining hydrochloric acid, and extracting again with ether. Comparative data 

 are reported. 



The analysis of beeswax, H. Kyan (8ci. Proc. Roy. Dublin Sac, n. ser., 12 

 (1909), No. 21, pp. 210-215). — Samples of beeswax gathered from different 

 parts of the world showed a practically constant composition. The suggestion 

 of the author and Hehner to determine the purity of beeswax, or beeswax in 

 complex mixtures, by determining the molecular weight of the free acids and 

 assuming that the molecular weight of cerotic acid is higher than any others 

 which may be ))resent in beeswax, is not found to hold good in every instance. 

 It is shown that l)y melting together Montana wax, the acids of which have a 

 higher molecular weight, and stearin, a wax could be obtained which furnishes 

 practically the same figures as beeswax and differs only in regard to the melt- 

 ing point. 



A rapid method for detecting stearin and other glycerids in beeswax, A. 

 OsTROcovicii and Mile. S. Petrisor (Bui. Hoc. Sti. BiicKresii. IS {1909). No. 

 2-'h pp. 121-130; ubs. in Analyst, 3.'t (1909), No. J^OJf, p. 7,95).— This method is 

 based upon the fact that acrolein is produced by acting upon the liberated 

 glycerids with zinc chlorid and may be detected by means of Barbet and Jan- 

 drier's reagent, which is a 30 per cent solution of phloroglucinol in sulphuric 

 acid. With this method it is possible to detect the presence of 5 per cent of 

 stearin in beeswax, although such a mixture analyzed according to the usual 

 method will not show the adulteration. 



The calorific value of beeswax, N. Sokolov (Zhur. Russ. Fiz. Khim. Obshch., 

 37 (1905), /, No. 1, pp. S18-822: abs. in Ztschr. Analyt. Chem., J,l (1908), No. 

 6-7, p. Ul; Chem. Ccntbh, 1906, I, No. 5, p. 39// ) .—Beeswax from various 

 sources gives a constant in the neighborhood of 10.312 calories. This is due to 

 the fact that the calorific value of cerotic acid and palmitic acid myricylic 

 ester are almost alike. The caloric value of paraffin and ceresin, on the 

 other hand, is on the average 11,234 calories, and for every per cent of these 

 bodies added to beeswax the calorific value rises 9.2 calories. 



The determination of the saponification number and the free-fatty acids 

 and neutral fats in dark fats and oils, C. Stiepel (Seifenfabrikant, 29 (1909), 

 pp. 509. 53.',: "bs. in Pliarni. ZentralhaUe, 50 (1909), No. 4',, p. 9i6).— This 

 method is l)ased on the fact that chlorid of barium takes down the coloring 

 matter during the formation of barium soap. 



Tunis olive oils and the special reactions, R. Marcille (Ann. Falsif., 2 

 (1909), No. 7, pp. 224-230; ubs. in Chem. Zentbl., 1909, II, No. 13, p. 1084). — 



