FOODS- nr:\i.\N Nrii;rnox. 4i).'5 



The youug moii who served as subjects were under medical supervision dur- 

 ing the entire experimental period. The amount and composition of the ex- 

 creta were determined and the food products were analyzed. Special studies 

 were made of the sulphur occurring: in the urine, and especially of the relation 

 of sulphur compounds to nitrogen. Microscopical studies were made of the 

 ui'ine and of the blood, and "all ])()Ssiblo i)recautions. in view of the magni- 

 tude of the work, were observed in securing a complete chemical and clinical 

 control of each one of the yoinig men engaged in the experimental work." The 

 .gen(>ral (l(>ducti(ms are based on results obtained with f) subjects. 



The data reported "show very clearly that salicylic acid and salicylates 

 ,\pltear to exert an exciting inlluence ujion the activities which take place in 

 the alimentary canal, stinnilating the organs to greater effort, and this stimu- 

 lation leads at first to increased digestion ;ind absorption of the foods which 

 are introduced into the stomach. In the light of the data which are exhibited 

 .salicylic acid ii:i.\ he said to increase the solubility and absorption of the food 

 in the alimentary <'anal, so that larger parts of the nutrients taken into the 

 stomach actually enter the circulation." This belief " is perhaps to a certain 

 extent undeserved." 



" This work is offiued as an unbiased study of all the data recorded, both of 

 those which ai)iiear to be in favor of the use of salicylic acid and those which 

 ai)pear to be against its use, and leads to the inevitable conclusion that sali- 

 cylic acid is a substance which, when added to foods even in small quantities, 

 exerts a depressing and harmful influence upon the digestion and health and the 

 general metabolic activities of the body. Further, thei-e appears to be no 

 necessity for its use, as food can be preserved in unobjectionable ways with- 

 out its aid. Its indiscriminate use would tend to carelessness in the quanti- 

 ti(»s employed, thus increasing the dangers to which the consumer is subjected. 

 Also its use in the preservation of foods tends to induce carelessness and indif- 

 lerence on the part of the manufacturer, as when a chemical antiseptic is 

 employed many of the processes necessary to the proper selection, cleaning, and 

 jireservation of foods may lie omitted. The addition of salicylic acid and sali- 

 cylates to foods is therefore a process which is reprehensible in every respect 

 and leads to injury to the consumer, which, though in many cases not easily 

 measured, must finally be productive of great harm." 



It was found on an average that the dry matter of the food consumed was 

 equivalent to 0.9 per cent of the body weight. 



Diet and dietetics, A. (Jautiee, edited and trans, by A. .T. Rice-Oxley (Lon- 

 <}(m: Archibald Coiixtahlr d- Co., Ltd.. lOOd, 2. cd., pp. Z//+.5.52, fif/s. 10).— In 

 this general treatise ou food and nutrition the author considers the principles 

 which underlie the subject, methods of experimenting, characteristics of the 

 initritive value of diiTerent foods, diet in ditferent circumstances of health and 

 dis(>ase, and related (piestions. Many of the author's investigations are sum- 

 marized and innnerous r(>ferences are made to the literature of the subjects 

 discussed. 



Food and dietetics, Alice 1'. Norton (Cliicufjo: American l^chool of Uouse- 

 lioUl Economics, lOOo, pts. I, pp. 1-61, fif/s. !), charts -J; 2, pp. 62-116, flg.f. 

 III. chart 1 : .?. pp. 117-187, fifift. 16). — The proportion of total income expended 

 for food and in other ways, characteristics of different animal and vegetable 

 foods, composition and digestibility of food, special diets, dietaries, and dietary 

 standards, and related questions, are discussed in the form of a series of lessons 

 designed for instruction by correspondence. 



Accuracy in dietetics, D. Roberts (Jour. A7ner. Med. Assoc, 46 (1.906), No. 

 16. pp. 1162. 1163). — In order to facilitate the calculation of the nutritive value 

 of rations the author has prepared a table showing the weight, protein content. 



