854 EXPEEIMENT STATION REOOED. 



Eriophyes ribls on Ribes grossularia, Miss A. M. Tatlor (Jour. Agr. 8ci. 

 [Engla^id], 6 (1914), No. 2, pp. 129-135, fig. i).— The author reports that during 

 1912 gooseberries were seriously deformed by an attack of Eriophyes. When 

 attacked by this mite the leaves and shoots of the gooseberry (iS, grossularia) 

 are severely blistered and deformed, whereas the black currant (R. nigrum) 

 shows no sign of injury. No phenomenal growth, of the buds of the gooseberry 

 takes place when attacked, whereas the black currant develops abnormal buds, 

 known as " big buds." 



" Migration by the agency of the wind is the general method of distribution 

 employed by the mite on R. nigrum. The same habit is observed to a limited 

 extent on R. grossularia, the general method being that of crawling from the 

 scale leaves of the attacked bud to the shoot developing from it." 



FOODS— HUMAIT IHJTRITION. 



Bacteriological methods for meat analysis, J. Weinziel and E. B. Newton 

 {Amer. Jour. Pub. Health, 4 (1914), No. 5, pp. 408-412) .—The results are re- 

 ported of the development of a method for determining the bacterial content 

 of meat, in which the meat was ground in a mortar with sterile sand and nor- 

 mal salt solution to obtain an emulsion for inoculation into the culture media. 



Bacteriological analyses of hamburger steak with reference to sanitary 

 conditions, J. Weinzirl and E. B. Newton {Amer. Jour. Pub. Health, 4 (1914), 

 No. 5, pp. 413-411). — Employing the method described above, the authors deter- 

 mined the bacterial content of 44 samples of market hamburger steak. Com- 

 parisons were also made of the value of the organoleptic test, the ammonia 

 test, and the bacterial content in determining the degree of decomposition of the 

 meat. 



The conclusions drawn are in part as follows : 



The standard of 1,000,000 bacteria per gram, advocated by some as a limit, 

 is apparently too low, since it would condemn nearly all samples of hamburger, 

 when showing no taint or other evidence of putrefaction. Samples of other 

 market meats, all of which would otherwise pass inspection, often exceed this 

 limit. 



The organoleptic and the ammonia tests agree fairly well, but as meat may 

 be actually putrid and may contain millions of bacteria per gram before re- 

 sponding to them, they appear to be too liberal, and a stricter standard would 

 be desirable. 



A bacterial standard of 10,000,000 per gram as the limit is proposed, on the 

 basis of which 50 per cent of the market samples of hamburger would still be 

 condemned. This is justified on the following grounds: (a) Much of it is 

 actually spoiled when it reaches the consumer or is to be cooked; (b) meat 

 teeming with 10,000,000 bacteria per gram is potentially rotten and soon will 

 be actually spoiled under ordinary methods of handling; (c) the fact that 

 markets are prone to add sodium sulphite to hamburger, even though the dealer 

 knows it to be contrary to law, indicates that something is wrong with the 

 hamburger; and (d) finally, if hamburger were made from wholesome meat in 

 the first place, then kept properly iced, it is Ijelieved that the bacterial content 

 could readily be held within the 10,000,000 limit. 



Studies of bouillon cubes, P. Saccardi {Arch. Farmacol. 8per. e 8ci. Atf., 17 

 {1914), No. 5, pp. 229-240). — ^Analytical data are given concerning several com- 

 mercial brands of bouillon cubes. Determinations were made of potassium, 

 chlorin. phosphoric acid, and iron as well as of water, total organic matter, 

 nitrogen fat, and ash. 



