4^0 EXPEKIMEKT STATION RECORD. 



Modifications are suggested of the qualitative test with tunnerie paper and of 

 tlae quantitative test, wliicli depends ujion tlie ignition of the sample, distilling 

 with methyl alcohol, and detection with indicators, the methods and api)aratus 

 heing described in detail. 



Attention is called to the wide distribution of boric acid normally in food 

 products. " Boric acid occurs naturally in apples and probably in other fruits 

 and vegetables. It is present in almost all common salt and some kinds con- 

 tain relatively considerable amounts of it." Determinations of boric acid in a 

 number of kinds of salt used in packing-house products showed the presence 

 of 0.043.J to 0.7(^> grain per pound' avoirdupois. 



The fermentation of cane molasses, and its bearing on the estimation of 

 tlie sugars present, (i. IIaeker i-Joiir. Sac. Cliciii. Indus.. 2-') {I'.KK!). Xo. 17. pi). 

 831, 833-836). — The alcohol actually produced from the fermentation of cane mo- 

 lasses is generally much less than the possible yield as calculated from the 

 determinations of saccharose and reducing sugars. 



The author concludes from his investigations that this is due to the fact 

 that the analytical figures overstate the amount of fermentable sugars actually 

 present. A considerable portion of what analysis indicates as saccharose is not 

 inverted by invertase and hence is not that substance. From the figures ob- 

 tained in some of the experiments, the author found it possible to apply a cor- 

 rection to the ordinary analysis. Calling the possible yield of alcohol frofn a 

 molasses 100, the corrected analysis indicated a yield of 85.8. It was found 

 that the bodies which appear as saccharose in the analysis and which are 

 inverted by acids but not by invertase are decomposed during the early stages 

 of fermentation. 



On various methods of determining total solids in wine, F. Roncali {Stas. 

 Sj)er. Agr. Ital., 39 (1906). No. J,, pp. 289-322).— U\vec-t and indirect methods 

 of determining total solids in wine were compared on numerous samples from 

 various sources. 



A study of the methods for the determination of esters, aldehydes, and 

 furfural in whisky, L. M. Toman and T. C. Trescot (Jour. Amer. Chcm. Soc, 

 28 (1906). Xo. 11. pp. 1619-1630). 



A method for the determination of lead number in maple sirup and 

 maple sugar, A. L. Winton and .1. L. Kkeider (Jour. Amer. Cfioii. ,Soc.. 28 

 (1906), No. 9, pp. 120Ji-1209). — The method proposed depends upon the iise of a 

 definite volume of standard lead subacetate solution and upon the determination 

 of the lead remaining in this solution after it has been used as a precipitating 

 I'eagent w'ith a sample of maple sugar or sirup. 



" The determination of ash and its characters and of lead number will usually 

 suffice for the detection of the adulterants now in common use." 



A new method of determining glycogen, E. Pfluger (Arch. Physiol. 

 [Pfliiger], ll-i (1906), No. .1-6. pp. 23i-2.}7).— The author discusses recent litera- 

 ture on glycogen determination and proposes some modification and amplifica- 

 tion of his method of dotormining it. 



Text-book of physiological chemistry, E. Arderhalden (Lehrbuch der 

 physioJogischcn Chemlc in Dreissiff Vorlesungcn.' Berlin and Vienna: T'rhan d 

 i^chicarsenherg, 1906, pp. VIII + 787, figs. 3). — In preparing this text-book the 

 author states that he has selected those subjects of physiological chemistry 

 which admit of reasonably complete treatment. The book includes 30 lectures, 

 4 of which are devoted to carbohydrates, G to proteids, 1 to micleoproteids and 

 other cleavage products, 2 to ash constituents, and 2 to metabolism. 



This volume as a whole constitutes a sunnnary of available information 

 regarding the theories of luitrition and the views which are at present held 

 regarding the chemical processes which take place in the body. The author 



