168 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



reuders it impossible for lis to say from experiments yet made whether this is 

 also produced in this cleavage." 



The effect of diet on the amylolytic power of saliva, C. H. Neilson and 

 D. H. Lewis (Jour. Biol. Chem., .', {1908), No. 6, pp. 501-506, fig. i).— The re- 

 sults of experiments led the authors to conclude that " there is a change either 

 in the amount of ptyalin or in its activity, or in the concentration of the saliva, 

 which enables more or less starch to be digested with a given quantity of saliva 

 according to the diet. . . . Whether this change in the amylolytic power of 

 the saliva due to diet should really be called an adaption to diet is immaterial." 



Concerning' the so-called amid nitrogen of protein, Z. H. Skraup and B. 

 voN Hardt-Stremayr (Monatsh. Chem., 29 (1908), No. 3, pp. 25.5-262). — From 

 the experimental data presented the authors conclude that the greater part of 

 the amid nitrogen of protein is set free in the first cleavage process of the mole- 

 cule which breaks it down into albumoses. 



The physiological significance of creatin and creatinin, L. B. Mendel 

 (Science, n. ser., 29 (1909), No. 74-5, pp. 584-591).— A digest of physiological, 

 chemical, and other data on the subject of creatin and creatinin. presented at 

 the meeting of the Society of Physiology and Experimental Medicine. Balti- 

 more. 1908. 



Diet as a means of increasing vital resistance in tuberculosis, with spe- 

 cial reference to the protein ration, J. II. Kellogg (Med. Rec. [N. Y.], 75 

 (1909), No. 7, pp. 253-26.3). — The author concludes that vegetarian diet and low 

 protein are conditions favorable to the treatment of tuberculosis. 



Mineral metabolism of infants, L. F. Meyer (Biochem. Ztschr., 12 (1908), 

 No. 5-6, pp. Jf22-.'f65, figs. 2). — With food furnishing 40 to 50 calories per kilo- 

 gram of body weight, and water in abundance, nursing infants were found to 

 lose various organic and inorganic body constituents for a few days and then 

 make small gains in these constituents with practically constant body weight. 



The effect of adding casein and fat to the ration was a subject of special study. 



ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 



Metabolism of organic and inorganic phosphorus, F. C. Cook ( V. S. Dept. 

 Agr., Bur. Chem. Bill. 123, pp. 63. pis. 3). — The author reviews the work of 

 previous investigators on this subject, and reports the result of feeding experi- 

 ments with 4 rabbits lasting 5 months. 



The food consisted of a ration of carrots, gluten, a mixture of starch and 

 sugar, olive oil, and salt solution. To 2 of the rabbits organic phosphorus in 

 the form of crude phytin was fed, and to the other 2 an equivalent amount 

 of phosphorus in the form of disodium hydrogen phosphate and sodium dihy- 

 drogen phosphate. " TLie rabbits to which the inorganic salts were fed 

 received daily 5 cc. of a standard salt mixtiu'e consisting of 450 gm. of sugar, 

 4 gm. of calcium chlorid, 15 gm. of sodium chlorid, .30 gm. of potassium chlorid. 

 and 1 gm. of magnesium sulphate, made up to a volume of 2.000 cc. and 

 containing 0.0492 gm. of phosphoric acid in the form of disodium hydrogen 

 phosphate and sodium dihydrogen phosphate per cubic centimeter. The rabbits 

 to which the organic phosphorus was fed received daily 5 cc. of a salt mixture 

 made so as to supply an equivalent amount of the above minei'al salts, allow- 

 ance being made for the presence of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and 

 phosphorus in the phytin." 



The nitrogen and phosphorus balances were determined during a period of 

 nearly 5 months. The inorganic phosphorus was estimated in the urine by 

 the uranium-acetate titration method. During the last 4 weeks calciimi, mag- 

 nesium, and ether-alcohol soluble phosphorus. (lecithin) balances were included. 



