464 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



Zeism or pellagra? P. A. Nightingale (Brit. Med. Jour., No. 2771 {191If), 

 pp. 300-302). — The author describes lii detail the pathological conditions noted 

 with prisoners when Indian corn meal, from which the bulli of the bran had 

 been removed in grinding, was used as a staple article of diet in place of ground 

 " rapoko " (African millet) (Eleusina coracana), from which the husk had not 

 been removed before grinding. 



In spite of many symptoms in common, he does not believe that zeism is the 

 same as pellagra. He states that " sufferers from zeism invariably steadily 

 improved under rapoko meal, until in periods varying from 3 weeks to 7 months 

 they showed no further signs or symptoms of it. . . . Relapses were not sea- 

 sonal, but occurred only in apparently cured cases that returned too soon to 

 the mealie meal diet. . . . The disease was in no way infectious or contagious." 

 He states further that the prison cooks " never contracted the disease, and that 

 any case suffering only mildy recovered rapidly when working in the kitchen, 

 doubtless on account of the extra titbits that were to be procured there." The 

 similarity of zeism to scurvy or beri-beri is also noted. 



Analysis of maize samples in connection with the feeding of mine natives, 

 H. J. ViPOND (Union So. Africa Dept. Agr. Rpt. 1912-13, pp. 307, 308).— Ash 

 constituents were determined as well as water and protein in 27 samples of corn. 

 The results according to the author, " although they do not reveal any new 

 feature, . . . show what variations may be expected. The figures for protein 

 are of agricultural interest, as they show the marked superiority of the flint 

 over the dent varieties. The poverty of maize grain in lime is also very 

 strikingly shown." 



An experimental study of the relation of food to infection, I, E. Thomas 

 (Bioclicm. ZUchr., 57 (1913), No. 5-6, pp. -}.56-472).— Experiments with labora- 

 tory animals (pigs) are reported and discussed. 



An experimental study of the relation of food to infection, II, O. Horne- 

 MANN (Biochem. Ztschr., 57 (1913), No. 5-6, pp. 473-491). — Experiments are re- 

 ported in continuation of the work noted above. The general conclusion is 

 reached that in comparison with cax'bohydrates a diet rich in protein had a 

 marked effect in lowering tuberculosis infection. 



Infection and diet, E. Thomas (Umschau, 18 (1914), A'o. 10, pp. 195. 196).— 

 A discussion of the experimental data reported in the above papers. 



Experiments on the influence of diet on the resistance to disease made with 

 laboratory animals (pigs) showed that resistance was greatest on a diet con- 

 taining a relatively large amount of protein. The animals fed the carbohy- 

 drate diet were badly affected, one of the animals fed a fat diet being a little 

 and the other decidedly affected, and those fed a mixed diet rather generally 

 affected. The general conclusion reached is that protein affected resistance 

 to tuberculosis favorably and carbohydrate unfavorably. 



The influence of underfeeding and of subsequent abundant feeding on the 

 basal metabolism of the dog, S. ]Morgulis (Biochem. Bui., 3 (1914), No. 10, 

 pp. 264-268). — Under the experimental conditions the carbon dioxid production 

 and oxygen consumption per hour returned to the normal values, as did the 

 rate of respiration and pulsation and body temperature. " There had been no 

 adaptation on the part of the organism to the greater inflow of energy. Its 

 metabolic activity had been temporarily raised while the exhausted organs and 

 tissues had been rapidly repaired, but as soon as the storing away of reserves 

 predominated over the constructive processes, the basal metabolism went back 

 to its original level, the level which was characteristic for this particular 

 organism." 



Protein storage in the liver, N. Tichmeneff (Biochem. Ztschr., 59 (1914) < 

 No. 3-4. pp. 326-332). — Whether or not one can conclude that there is a storage 



