1148 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The method outlined " would, of course, fail in the presence of cotton-seed 

 oil. It is doubtful, however, whether the latter oil is used to any extent as an 

 iidulterant of lard at present, due undoubtedly to the ease with which it can 

 be detected. In the examination of a large number of commercial samples of 

 lard made during the last three years in this laboratory not a single sample was 

 found adulterated with cotton-seed oil. 



"The large amount of ether necessary for the extraction of the unsaponiti- 

 able ])roducts . . . renders it an expensive . . . [methodj to carry out. The 

 ether, however, may be largely recovered by distillation. An investigation is 

 now being carried out in this laboratory with the hope of so modifying the 

 method as to overcome the above objection." 



Sulphurous acid in meats, O. S. Marcku-orth (pp. 29-39, dgms. 2).— Methods 

 for determining the presence of sulphurous acid in meat were studied with 

 samples of pork and beef with special reference to the determination of the 

 amount of sulphur which may be normally present as a result of decomposition. 



" For the recovery of sulphurous acid in meats, at least, iodin should not be 

 iised as an absorbent when it is to be determined volumetrically or gravi- 

 metrically. The results are most erratic and unreliable. On the other hand 

 bi'omin water is efficient and reliable. There does not seem to be much ground 

 lor the assertion that too much sulphurous acid is indicated by the use of 

 bromin as an oxidant. The quantities found in fresh, uncontaminated samples 

 of both pork and beef are so small as to be negligible when calculated to SO.. 

 (This may not apply to meats long refrigerated or canned.) 



" The amount of volatile sulphur compounds will probably furnish a check on 

 the age of meats, whether fresh, refrigerated, or canned. 



"The cause of the [observed] difference in the amount of SO2 recovered from 

 pork and beef must be left for continued study. It is no doubt partially ex- 

 plained by the difference in the amount of fat in the respective samples. 



" It is my opinion that fresh meats should be condemned when showing more 

 than 0.0025 per cent sulphur calculated to SO, for when showing this amount 

 they have already become more or less disintegrated by bacteriological action. 

 Any amount above 0.002,1 per cent must either be attributed to excessive age or 

 added sulphites." 



The pure food and drug laws of the State of Indiana (Iiidiai(ai)oUs: Iiid. 

 Bd. Health, 1907, pp. 6'//). — Provisions of the State laws which have to do. with 

 loods and drugs are given and an index is provided. The regulations regarding 

 sanitary conditions take into account the health of employees in dairies, bakeries, 

 etc., and the condition of abattoirs and slaughterhouses, groceries and meat mar- 

 kets, drug stores, hotels, and restaurants. 



Report of conamittee on adulterations of foods, seeds, and other products, 

 and legislative enactment recommended, S. P>. I'ackard. II. K. Wkicht. and 

 C. F. CuRTiss (Des Moines: loica Dept. Agr.. 101)6, pp. J/l). — Data regarding the 

 composition of concentrated feeds and condimental feeds have been noted from 

 publications of the Iowa Experiment Station (E. S. R., 18, p. 966). 



Proteids in the peanut seed, M. Soave (Ann. R. Accad. Af;r. Torino, JfS 

 (mo-)), p. 1: ah.s. ill Zciithl. Physiol., 20 (1906), No. 23, p. 773).— X proteid with 

 diastatic properties was isolated, as well as two proteids soluble respectively 

 in sodium-chlorid solution and a dilute alkaline solution. These soluble pro- 

 teids on hydrolysis yielded different amounts of histidin and arginin. and so 

 may be regjyded as different bodies. No alcohol soluble proteid resembling 

 zein w;is foimd. 



Oil-bearing seeds i'J'niiisiaal .\(/r. Jour.. .7 (1907). \o. IS. pp. 'ill. 'il2). — 

 A note reporting analyses of " Marula " nuts and " Maraamas " beans. The 

 latter plant is not identified botanically. 



