FOODS — HUMAN NUTRITION. 561 



products like butter, egg yolk, and cod liver oil, which have long enjoyed a 

 popular, yet inexplicable, reputation for unique nutritive potency." 



The cleavage of fatty acids in the animal body, M. Koppel ( Uhcr den 

 Abbau der Fettsdurcn iin 'Tierkorper. Inaiig. Diss., Univ. Strasshurg, 1913, pp. 

 42; ahs. in Zentbl. Biochem. u. Biophys., 16 (1914), ^^o. 11-12, p. 366).— The 

 author has studied the cleavage of saturated, aliphatic acids of the acetic 

 acid series with a view to determining the first step in the oxidation of fatty 

 acids. 



Influence of phytin on the elimination of nitrogenous compounds in 

 normal individuals, F. Ventubi and V. Massklla {Arch. Fannacol. Spcr. e 

 Sci. Aff., 16 {WIS), No. 3, pp. 97-i/8).— Exiierimeutal data are given which 

 demonstrate that the ingestion of from 1.5 to 2 gm. of phytin per day results in 

 a marked decrease in the elimination of urea, creatinin, hippuric acid, and 

 other unidentified nitrogen compounds in the urine, as well as in a decrease 

 in the loss of nitrogen in the feces. Little or no effect was observed upon 

 the elimination of uric acid and ammonia. At the end of the period during 

 which phytin was ingested a nitrogen balance four or five times greater than 

 that observed during the preliminary jieriod was noted. 



Minimum requirement of alimentary carbohydrates, R. Laufeb {Bui. G6n. 

 Th&r. MM. et Chirurg., 165 {1913), No. 5, pp. 176-183; Zenthl. Biochem. u. 

 Biophys., 15 (1913), No. 4-5, p. 149). — The results are reported of experiments 

 carried out at 16° C. with two subjects who were given a daily carbohydrate 

 ration of from 290 to 300 gm. 



In the opinion of the author, these results show that there is a certain mini- 

 mum amount of carbohydrate which the body requires. Unless this minimum 

 amount is supplied the carbohydrate can not be replaced by its equivalent 

 isothermal value of protein or fat. For example, in the absence of this mini- 

 mum requirement in the diet 1 gm. of fat would develop only 6.8 calories instead 

 of 9.1 calories. It is pointed out that in pathological conditions this minimum 

 requirement of carbohydrate should be supplied in the diet both to prevent a 

 loss of heat value and to prevent the overworking of the organs. 



From a study of the data here given, the author concludes that with a diet 

 containing not less than 219 gm. of carbohydrate per day the body weight does 

 not decrease. For a 70 kg. subject at rest the minimum daily requirement 

 of carbohydrate is probably that which would furnish from 900 to 1,000 

 calories. [This must, of course, presuppose an adequate supply of nitrogen In 

 the diet also.] 



Experiments on the carbon dioxid excretion with different kinds of 

 muscular work, G. Becker and J. W. Hamalainen {Skand. Arch. Physiol., 

 31 {1914), No. 1-3, pp. 198-240, fig. 1).—In these experiments, which were 

 made with men and women engaged in different kinds of labor, the Tigerstedt 

 respiration apparatus was used. 



The work periods were of two hours' duration, and in every case were com- 

 pared with similar periods in which the subjects were at rest. The men were 

 engaged in shoemaking, tailoring, bookbinding, metal working, painting, car- 

 pentry, stone- masonry, or wood sawing, and the women in hand sewing, machine 

 sewing, laundering, domestic service (cleaning windows and floors and washing 

 and polishing dishes, etc.), or bookbinding. 



From the excretion of carbon dioxid the respiratory carbon output was cal- 

 culated and found to vary between 6.68 and 10.12 gm. per hour for the men, and 

 5.50 and 6.83 gm. for the women in the rest periods, and between 11.23 and 

 45.5 gm. per hour in the case of the men, and between 7.5 and 25.91 gm. per 

 hour in the case of the women in the work periods. 



