FOODS — HUMAN NUTEITION. 859 



aqueous extract of spoiled maize. The authors state that the reaction was 

 marked and found to be different from that observed when sound persons were 

 similarly inoculated. 



They state, further, that " the hypersensibility which manifests itself in pella- 

 gra patients owing to the inoculation of this watery extract of spoiled maize 

 has particular characters which can not be found in any proportion through the 

 injection of extract of sound maize." 



The paper is followed by a discussion. 



Concerning factors of toxicity and an excessive corn diet, E. Centanni and 

 C. Galassi (Sperimentale, 67 (1913), No. 4, Sup., pp. 142-150; abs. in Zentbl. 

 Expt. Med., 5 {1914), No. 7, p. 296). — In this contribution to pellagra, the con- 

 clusion Is reached, from extended experiments with laboratory animals (guinea 

 pigs and mice), that an excessive maize diet is responsible for illness, and not 

 the photodynamic properties of com. 



Pellagra in the Province of Rome, G. Alessandeini, A. Giannelli, and E. 

 FiLENi {PoHclin., Scz. Prat., 20 {1913), No. 34, pp. 1213-1221, figs. 2; abs. in 

 Hyg. Rundschau, 24 {1914), ^o. 9, p. 534). — ^The conclusion was reached that in 

 this Province there was no connection between corn diet and the occurrence of 

 pellagra. On the other hand, there was apparently a relation between this dis- 

 ease and the water used. 



Food requirements, appetite, and hunger — a dietary study, W. Sternbebg 

 (Das Nahrungs Bediirfnis der Appclit und der Hunger — Eine didtetische Studie. 

 Leipsic, 1913, pp. XII-\-179). — In this volume the author discusses food require- 

 ments, appetite, and hunger, under physiological and pathological conditions. 

 A large amount of data is summarized and discussed exhaustively. 



Changes in food supply and diet of the proletariat, M. Rubnee {Wand- 

 lungen in der VoJkserndhrung. Leipsic, 1913, pp. 4-\-i35). — In this volume the 

 author discusses the effect of changing conditions on diet, especially with refer- 

 ence to the man of small means. 



The questions considered in the various chapters are the following : The need 

 for state supervision of the general question of diet ; insufficient food ; the in- 

 creased cost of foodstuffs in its relation to food deficiency, to living conditions, 

 and to social relations; the question of dietary standards; the determination of 

 dietary conditions ; changes in labor production ; changes in food consumption ; 

 the protein and meat question from a physiological standpoint; the value of 

 vegetable foods as a source of protein ; the effect on dietetics of social influences ; 

 lowering the protein in the diet; sandwiches as a principal article of diet; the 

 extent of meat consumption; and suggestions as to improving the diet of the 

 proletariat. 



The author brings together a large amount of important data in this volume, 

 including the results of his experience and experiments. The volume as a whole 

 constitutes an important contribution to the literature of dietetics which no 

 student of the subject should overlook. 



Experimental variations in the function of diet, A. Magnan {Variations 

 exp^rimentales en fonction du regime alimentaire. Thesis, Paris, 1913, No. 7 ; 

 abs. in Presse MM. [Paris'], 1914, No. 19, p. 18; Zentbl. Expt. Med., 5 {1914), 

 No, 9, pp. 409, 410). — Some of the conclusions follow which the author reached 

 with different kinds of animals : 



Vegetable diet increases the surface of the digestive tract, while meat diet 

 reduces it. A similar effect is noted in the small and large intestine. The 

 weight of the intestine is greatest in animals which take solid food, and is 

 ascribable to a thickening of the muscle walls. In birds, the weight and sur- 

 face area of the stomach are proportional to the volume of the diet. As regards 



