864 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



depositories of the hippurie- acid yielding material. When a feeding stuff is 

 oxidized benzoic acid is derived chiefly from phenyl alanin. Only a small 

 part of the unhydroxylized benzin of phenyl alanin undergoes cleavage and 

 oxidation in the lK)dy in the case of herbivora, and the greater part reappears 

 In the virine as hippuric acid and as phenyl alanin. In the case of man and 

 Aery probably of carnivorous animals also the reverse is the case, and only a 

 very small anidunt is excreted in the urine as phenyl alanin. In this case 

 phenyl alanin plays very little part in the formation of hippuric acid. The 

 greater part of the unhydroxylized benzin ring of pfoteids undergoes cleavage 

 and combustion in the human body and probably in the case of carnivora also, 

 only a small portion being excreted as hippuric acid in the urine or undigested 

 in the f('c(^s. 



Stable ventilation, purpose, scope, and need for such, work, M. H. Reynolds 

 and C. C. Lipp {Minnesota Sta. Bid. 08, pp. 81-120, pjs. S). — The authors pref- 

 ace the account of their own investigations with a summary of the available 

 data on the subject of stable ventilation and a discussion of the need for work 

 along this line. The investigations reported were undertaken to determine how 

 little air is compatible with normal health and comfort of live stock and with 

 economical feeding in northern climates during midwinter, as obviously the 

 question of stable ventilation during the sununer is a matter which requires 

 little consideration. 



The experiments reported varied in length from hours to 37 days, and a 

 tightly closed stable of special construction provided with openings through 

 which food and water could be supplied without admitting any ai>preciable 

 quantity of outside air was used. For purposes of comparison, steers were 

 also kept in an open stall. The amount of carbon dioxid in the air reached as 

 high as 2.(>7 per cent. Ordinarily when the closed-stall conditions were very 

 bad it would range from 0.52 to 1.09 per cent. Frequently the proportion of 

 carbon dioxid would increase during varying periods to a maximum, and then 

 either remain constant or decrease without added ventilation. The relative 

 humidity of the air varied up to 09 or practical saturation. Moisture would 

 gather freely on the ceiling and walls of the stable and would sometimes run 

 down in small streams. " It is scarcely possible to imagine a stable where 

 more unsanitary conditions according to accepted standards are maintained 

 than in this stall." 



Sanqiles of blood and urine were taken for analysis at regular intervals. 

 In the case of the blood the red and white corpuscles were counted and the 

 hemoglobin content, the period of coagulation, and the specific gravity were 

 estimated. Analyses and other studies were made with the urine, but all these 

 analytical data are reserved for further publication. 



The results obtained, according to the authors, show the great adaptability 

 of the animal organism, a fact which has been pointed out by earlier investi- 

 gators. 



" The only records materially varying in a long series of averages as between 

 open and closed stall conditions, as stated for the closed stall, were: Pulse 

 slightly increased, i-espiration slightly increased, average period for blood clot- 

 ting materially increased. Changes in the red and white blood cell counts were 

 not uniform and the results are given no special significance. . . . 



"When animals were confined in a slowly contaminated atmosphere there 

 was no api)reciable effect, even though the atmosphere varied very widely from a 

 normal air and contained large proportions of sulistances which have been sup- 

 posed to be actively injurious. 



" One steer was confined in the closed stall for 37 consecutive days and seemed 

 to be in perfect comft)rt, showing every symi)tom of being at ease, and there 



