572 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



Digestion and assimilation of raw starch, of different sorts in the normal 

 and pathological digestive tract, L. Fofanow (Ztschr. Kim. Med., 72 (1911), 

 No. 3--'i. p. J57; (lbs. in Zentbl. Biochem. u. Biophys., 11 {1911), No: 13-14, 

 pp. 556, 557). — According to tlie author's conchxsions, no differences were ob- 

 served in the digestion and resorption of wheat, oat, and rice starch, 50 gm. 

 being almost completely resorbed in the normal digestive tract. Raw potato 

 starch was from 2.5 to 4 times less well digested, the digestion and resorption 

 being particularly bad when the starch was taken in the form of isolated starch 

 cells with their covering of cellulose. 



Regarding the effects of various pathological conditions, it may be noted 

 that the author concludes that in cases of fermentative dyspepsia raw starch 

 of any sort is much less well digested than when taken baked or boiled. This 

 was particularly true of the isolated potato starch cells. 



Studies on water drinking. — V, Intestinal putrefaction during copious and 

 moderate water drinking with meals, W. M. Hattrem and P. B. Hawk (Arch. 

 Int. Med., 7 (1911), No. 5, pp. 610-623). — ^According to the experimental data 

 reported, the drinking of copious amounts of water (1,000 cc.) and moderate 

 amoimts (500 cc. ) decreased intestinal putrefaction, "as measured by the uri- 

 nary indican output. 



" Copious water drinking caused a more pronounced lessening of the putre- 

 factive processes than did the moderate water drinking. 



" In copious water di'inking the total ethereal sulphate output was increased 

 coincidently with the decrease in the indican output. This observation fur- 

 nishes strong evidence in favor of the view that indican has an origin different 

 from that of the other ethereal sulphates, and that they can not correctly be 

 considered as indexes of the same metabolic process. . . . 



" The decreased intestinal putrefaction brought about through the ingestion 

 of moderate or copious quantities of water at mealtime is probably due to a 

 diminution of the activity of indol-formiug bacteria, following the accelerated 

 absorption of the products of protein digestion and the passage of excessive 

 amounts of strongly acid chyme into the intestine." 



Data are also given regarding experimental methods. 



Experiments on the relation of nitrogen to sulphur in metabolism, 

 O. Gross (Ztschr. Expt. Path. u. Ther., 9 (1911), No. 1, pp. 171-189 dgms. 

 10). — The effect of feeding lecithin was one of the questions considered in 

 the extended investigations reported on the income and outgo of nitrogen and 

 sulphur. 



The metabolism of manganese and the law regarding manganese and iron 

 minimum, G. M. Piccinini (Arch. Fannacol. Sper. e Set. Aff., 10 (1910), No. 

 9-10, pp. 419-436; abs. in Chem. Zentbl., 1911, I, No. 11, pp. 823, 824)-— Manga- 

 nese is found in the human body and in the lower animals in small and variable 

 quantities. It is derived from animal food and in smaller amounts from vege- 

 table food. 



When given to a dog per os manganese was resorbed from the digestive tract 

 and stored in the liver, kidney, spleen, and intestinal wall. Manganese is 

 excreted chiefly in gall and through the intestinal mucus membrane, and in 

 much smaller quantity in the urine. The administration of manganese caused 

 an increase in the iron content of the blood, liver, and spleen. Since manganese 

 forms an integral constituent of the red blood corpuscles it is to be regarded 

 as directly concerned in the formation of hematogen. Manganese regulates 

 the absorption of iron and also the total assimilation. 



A contribution to the etiology of beriberi, S. Kajiura and O. Rosenheim 

 (Jour. Eyg. [Ckimbridger\, 10 (1910), No. 1, pp. 49-55, pi. i).— The experiments 

 reported on the relation of rice diet to beriberi were made with poultry. 



