662 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



493-502). — ^According to the authors, the creatinin figures recorded in connec- 

 tion with their experiments " clearly indicate that the creatinin does originate 

 in the muscles, since the preformed creatinin found in the muscles, small as it 

 is, is nevertheless invariably greater than the preformed creatinin found in the 

 blood. We have several other experiments in addition to those recorded in this 

 paper, all of which have yielded the same result. 



"Another interesting fact . . . discovered in the course of these investigations 

 is that though the heart yields very much less creatin than do the striated mus- 

 cles, yet In nearly every case the heart contains more preformed creatinin 

 than is found in the striated muscles. . . . According to our point of view, the 

 figures simply indicate that the tissue metabolism in the heart is very much 

 more rapid than the tissue metabolism in the voluntary muscles. 



" Our experiments have failed to show any creatinin formation out of the ad- 

 rainisterial creatin. There is a slight accumulation of creatinin in the blood 

 and a slight diminution of the creatinin in the muscles. It looks as if the unus- 

 ually large influx of creatin into the muscles tended to force out the creatinin, 

 but the variations are so small that we hesitate to attach much significance to 

 them, although we have observed the phenomenon many times. If correct, this 

 observation will help to explain the findings of those investigators who believe 

 that the administration of creatin is accompanied by a demonstrable increase 

 in the creatinin elimination." 



See also previous work (E. 8. II., 2S, p. OG;")). 



The secretory activity of stom^ach glands under the influence of Liebig's 

 extract, I, Z. Tomasewski (Zentbl. Physiol., 27 (WIS), No. 12-13, pp. 627- 

 630). — Experimental data are briefly reported in this preliminary account of 

 the author's investigations. 



The conclusion was reached that the secretion of gastric juice was due to a 

 substance which could be extracted with ethyl or methyl alcohol from the 

 phosphotungstic acid precipitate of the meat extract and not to any mineral 

 matter which the extract contained. Atropin prevented the secretion. He 

 concludes, therefore, that the active body iu meat extract is probably an alkaloid 

 similar to muscarin. When meat is boiled the lecithin present is broken down, 

 yielding cholin, and this in turn is broken down, yielding the muscarin-like 

 substance. Experiments have also shown, it is stated, that extractive sub- 

 stances differ materially from the digestion products of protein, only the 

 former possessing the property of stimulating the intestinal secretions in this 

 way. 



The effect of change iu diet on the carbon dioxid excretion of nursing 

 infants, K. Frank and A. Niemann (Charite Ann., 37 {1913), pp. 94-100; abs. 

 in Zentbl. Biochem. u. BiopJips., 16 {1914), No. 15-16, p. 531). — ^According to the 

 author, an increased carbon dioxid excretion was noticed iu changing from 

 breast feeding to artificial feeding. This is stated to be due to the increased 

 metabolism brought about by the larger amount of protein consumed. 



Man a machine, J. O. De la Mettrie, tr.uis. Iiy Gertrude C. Bussey {Chi- 

 cago, 1912, pp. 6-{-216, pi. 1). — The author has made available for English 

 ^ readers this work, published in the latter part of the eighteenth century. It 

 has to do chiefly with philosophical sjieculations. but is interesting historically 

 in the consideration of theories of body work. The text is supplemented by 

 philosophical and historical notes. 



ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 



The composition of crops and feeding stuffs, H. J. Vipond ( Union So. Africa 

 Dept. Agr. [Pub.], No. 1 {1914), pp. 29).— This treats of the nutritive require- 

 ments of animals as determined by Kelluer and others, and outlines possible 



