608 EXPEEIMENT STATION EECOKD. 



The nature of the acid soluble phosphorus compounds of some important 

 feeding materials, E. B. Hart and W. E. Tottingham (Jour. Biol. Chem.. li 

 (1909), No. .5. pp. JiSl-Ji^ifi)- — The nature of the phosphorus compounds con- 

 tained in the dilute hydrochloric acid extract of feeding materials (E. S. R., 

 15, p. 490) was further studied with the corn grain, wheat seed, oat seed, 

 barley seed, ruta-bagas, aud cured alfalfa hay. 



In the instance of the oat, corn, and barley seed an effort was made to study 

 the distribution and nature of the phytin and phytic acid, these being extracted 

 in each case and the phytic acid decomposition products studied. It was found 

 that phytin was present in the seeds of corn, oats, and barley, but its presence 

 could not be detected in either alfalfa hay or ruta-bagas. Its distribution in 

 the seeds studied differs from that in wheat, in that it is found throughout the 

 entire seed, whereas in wheat it exists mostly in the outer layers. 



An approximate estimation of the phosphorus in the extract showed from 

 38 to 48 per cent of that in the seeds. With ruta-bagas 64 per cent of the total 

 was inorganic phosphorus. There was also present a phosphorus compound 

 of unknown constitution, which ^^as soluble in dilute acids, free from nitrogen, 

 hydrolyzable, and which gave 24 per cent of the phosphorus contained in the 

 root. Alfalfa hay cut as it M-as coming into bloom yielded 6.3 per cent of its 

 total phosphorus in inorganic forms. When separated by the modified Poster- 

 nak method, the dilute acid extract also contained a nitrogen-free organic 

 phosphorus complex. This yielded reducing bodies on hydrolysis with acids, 

 but did not produce inosit, aud could therefore not be classed with phytic acid. 

 It contains IT per cent of the total phosphorus of the plant. The reducing 

 substance formed on hydrolysis may possibly be dextrose. 



The occurrence of phosphatids in vegetable and animal substances, 

 H. Vageler (Biochem. Ztsclir., 17 (1909), No. 1-3, pp. 189-219).— The author 

 discusses the characteristics and the occurrence of lecithin, and describes a 

 method for its determination, as follows : The finely ground material is ex- 

 tracted with 800 gm. of 94 per cent alcohol in the reflux condenser apparatus 

 for 2 hours. A second extraction is made with 800 gm. of alcohol for 8 hours, 

 the extracts from the 2 extractions combined, heated to 50° G., and 400 gm. 

 weighed out for distillation. The residue from the distillation serves for the 

 determination of phosphoric acid. The most accurate method for the oxidation 

 of the residue was found in dissolving it in sodium hydroxid, transferring it to 

 a Schott bottle and oxidizing with 50 cc. concentrated sulphuric acid. The 

 catalytic substance employed was copper filings. 



The results obtained with plants show that lecithin is present in a greater 

 proportion in the fresh green parts than in the blossoms. There is a greater 

 accumulation of lecithin in the plant when blossoming and fructification is 

 taking place, but at the time when the plant is in its most rapid stage of growth 

 the lecithins are also present in abundance. There was a disintegration at 

 the end of the vegetative period. It was also found that the lecithins were 

 partly decomposed when evaporating the alcoholic extract. 



As representatives of animal substances milk of various kinds, cheese, fish, 

 horse and steer flesh were selected. With milk the phosphorus percentages 

 calculated to dry substance were as follows: Cow's milk 0.05223 to 0.05534 

 (for 3.4 and 3.2 per cent of fat, respectively), centrifuged milk 0.0504 (for 0.2 

 per cent of fat), goat's milk 0.05 "(for 4 per cent of fat), ass's milk 0.0499S, 

 and sheep's milk 0.05S57 (for 7.5 per cent of fat). Milk heated for a short time 

 to 100° yielded 0.0448 per cent of phosphorus. It can thus be seen that the 

 phosphatids are present in larger amounts when the rate of growth of the 

 young is greatest. Human milk had 0.027 per cent of organic phosphorus, and 

 Tilsiter cheese with 23.33 per cent fat had 0.02096 per cent phosphorus. There is 



