S64 EXPERIMENT STATlOiN RECORD. 



Experiments on the eSectsof a limited diet. — VI, The nutritive value of 

 zein, gliadin, and egg- albumin in experiments with white rats, S. Baglioni 

 {Atti R. Accad. Lined, Rend. VI. 8ci. Fis., Mat., e Nat., 5. ser., 22 (1913), 

 II, No. 12, pp. 721-728, fig. 1). — From these experiments, carried on with labora- 

 tory animals, the author concludes that zein, gliadin, and egg albumin are not 

 only capable of maintainmg the nitrogen balance in the case of both adult and 

 growing animals, but if given in sufficient quantity will allow a storing up of 

 nitrogen in the body. 



Animals maintained on a diet in which egg albumin was the sole source of 

 protein showed a gain in weigbt. In the majority of cases those maintained on 

 diets in which zein and gliadin were the sole sources of protein showed a loss of 

 weight, both in the case of adult and growing animals. In the latter case the 

 increase of weight could be restored by the addition of egg albumin or meat 

 and bread to the diet. 



Utilization of the proteins of cotton seed by man, J. B. Ratiikr {Jour. 

 Amer. Chem. Soc, 36 {19 W, No. 3, pp. 584-586).— An abstract of Bulletin 163 

 of the Texas Station, previously noted (E. S. R., 31. p. 65). 



Influence of water on the digestion of solid substances, F. Geobbels 

 {Hoppe-Seyler's Ztschr. Physiol. Chem., 89 {1914), No. 1-2, pp. 1-21, figs. 3).— 

 The experiments reported were made with laboratory animals (dogs). 



According to the author, of the materials experimented with, water left the 

 stomach soonest. Bread with water taken 5 minutes after required twice as 

 long a time as water alone. However, the material remained in the stomach 

 a shorter time than was the case with bread alone. The longest time was re- 

 quired for bread and water mixed. With water, the largest amount of liquid 

 had left the stomach at the end of an hour, and with bread, the lowest amount, 

 and the amount was greater when bread and water were taken in succession 

 than when they were taken mixed. 



The minimum amount of gastric secretion was noted with water and was only 

 slightly lower for bread alone than in the other cases. When the dogs were 

 made to thirst, an increase in the total amount of liquid which left the stomach 

 in an hour was noted in oue test without any special diminution of the gas- 

 tric secretion or the length of the period of gastric digestion. In two other 

 series both of these factors were diminished. Coffee, on the other hand, in- 

 creased the period of gastric digestion without changing the percentage values. 



The author, in discussing his experiments, notes that his work has a bear- 

 ing upon the length of time that food remains in the stomach, but not upon 

 the amount of work required of the secretory glands in digestion. He believes 

 that his results support the common theory that dry food leaves the stomach 

 less quickly than moist food, and that with respect to the time that food 

 remains in the stomach, the best results are obtained when water or similar 

 liquids are taken after food rather than when they are mixed with it, and that 

 mixing solid or liquid foods is not desirable from a physiological standpoint. 



In the case of taking bread or cake at the same time as coffee, he is of the 

 opinion that the increase in the time the food is retained in the stomach is an 

 advantage, since it prolongs the feeling of satiety and delays diuresis. 



Influence of some inorganic sajts on the action of the lipase of the 

 pancreas, C. A. Pekelharing {K. Akad. Wetenseh. Amsterdam, Proe. Seet. Sei., 

 15 {1912), pt. 1, pp. 336-347). — From his experiments the author concludes that 

 calcium, barium, magnesium, and sodium salts play a part with regard to the 

 activity of lipase totally different from that of the bile acids. In bis opinion 

 one may conclude that these salts "separate fatty acid from the .-solution as 

 .soaj), and for that reason increase the fat-splitting power of the enzym." 



