1070 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



e(iuivalent to about 0.3 per cent hydrochloric acid. As a matter of fact, how- 

 ever, the hydrochloric acid actually present i.s much le.ss than this quantity, as 

 the acidity is largely due to lactic acid or later to peptones. The material in 

 the small intestine during the entire period of digestion has an alkaline I'eac- 

 tion equivalent on an average to about 0.13 or 0.14 per cent sodium carbonate. 



The digestion and resor]ition of nutrients in the stomach and intestine in- 

 creased as the digestion progressed. As regards the protein cleavage products 

 in the stomach when oats were fed. syntonin was present in large quantities at 

 the beginning of the digestive period, constituting in amount over one-third of 

 the total soluble nitrogen. The proportion of syntonin later on decreased. The 

 quantity of albunioses of different sorts increased from the beginning of the 

 digestive period until a maximum was reached and then diminished. At the 

 beginning of the period the amount of peptone present was very small and it 

 was not formed in large proportion in the stomach until after 3 hours. It may 

 be said that peptone is practically the only cleavage product which is absorbed 

 in the stomach, and peptones and crystalline cleavage products in the small 

 intestine. 



Concerning creatin and creatinin in metabolism in man, K. O. af 

 Kjlercker {Biochcni. Zisvhr., 3 (1907), No. 1, pp. J/o-Sl, figs. 6). — From the 

 experimental data reported the author concludes that it is very questionable 

 whether there is any biological relation between creatin and creatinin. 



When they are taken into the body both may be in part excreted unaltered 

 through the kidneys and no change from one to the other takes place iu the 

 body. Creatinin is the more readily and completely excreted in the urine. 

 t>ince exogenous creatin is not changed to creatinin in the body and since, fur- 

 ther, the ordinary diet supplies only traces of creatinin, the quantity iu the 

 urine must be of endogenous origin, but the way in which it is formed in the 

 body is not known. A relationship between it and the creatin of the muscular 

 system is not proved and does not seem probable. Since creatin can not be 

 regarded as a cleavage product of protein taken iu the diet, there seems hardly 

 any alternative except to regard it as a special metabolic product. 



The physiological action of muscle extract, .J. G. Slaoe (Jour. Physiol.. 

 3-j (1007). No. 3, pp. 163-lSl, p'gs. 10). — To determine the effect of such materials 

 as meat extract, a number of experiments are reported, in the majority of 

 which a special extract, prepared in such a way that it contained practically 

 no salts nor proteids, was used. Tests were also made v.-ith some of the known 

 constituents of muscle extract, such as xanthin, creatin. and urates. The con- 

 clusions which were drawn follow : 



" AIu.scle extract has no stimulant action upon the central nervous system, 

 nor upon the power of doing physical work, in man. If it be taken as a strong 

 solution and in large amounts it is liable to cause purgation. In moderate 

 doses it increases the rate and activity of the heart. This is not due to creatin, 

 xanthin. or urates. The vessels are constricted. After small doses there is 

 initial dilatation. The movements of plain muscle throughout the body are 

 increased. Probably this is due to ornithin and novain. 



" Muscle extract in 0.5 per cent solution increases the work of voluntai-y 

 muscle ; in 0.1 iier cent solution it has no effect upon the efficiency of the 

 muscle ; in 2 per cent solutions it decreases the work. Xanthin has an action 

 corresponding to the first effect — that is, in saturated solution (1-2.500) it in- 

 creases the work. Creatin has no action on voluntary nuiscle. 



" The effect of fatiguing a muscle before preparing an extract from it is to 

 increase its extractives and increase the activity of the extract. If injected 

 into animals it causes great languor. i)rostration, and all the symptoms 

 characteristic of fatigue. Muscle extract administered as ' beef-tea ' acts as 



