AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY AGROTEIC H N V. 609 



evidi'iitly a (U't'ided (lisiiitej;rji(i(»n of these or.^anic iilHispliorus Ixidies diiriuj; 

 the pnu-ess of ri]UMniijj. Trout spawn contained 0.415.') per cent of phosphorus; 

 pike spawn 0.4484 per cent. The phosphorus in horse fiesh was 0.17 per cent, 

 and that in steer flesh 0.13S per cent. 



It is evident from the ahove researches that the phosphatids are not sepa- 

 rated from the life processes of the plants. The same conclusion can be drawn 

 from tht^ results obtained with the animal substances. 



The intracellular enzynis of lower fungi, especially those of Penicillium 

 camemberti, A. W. Dox (Jour. Biol. Clivin., G {I'JOD), Xo. J, /ti). //67-//fj:7').— The 

 enzynis en masse \A'ere prei)ared by cultivating on Czapek's media and extracted 

 by the Kuchner-AIbert " acetondauerhefe " process, modified for molds. The 

 powdered enzynis thus obtained were very stable when properly kept. 



The main study was made upon the presence of proteases, nucleases, ami- 

 dases, lipases, diastases, and emulsins, and those acting on hippuric acid. Pro- 

 teases showed no activity with either fibrin, ovalbumin, and other native pro- 

 teins. Digestion was aiiparent with casein, gelatin, and proteoses (Witte 

 peptone), and in this respect was like the animal ereiisin. The activity 

 was greatest in phosphate media, either neutral or alkaline in reaction. Pro- 

 teose soluticms which give the biuret reaction when acted uiioii by this enzym 

 show the tryptophan reaction. A nuclease was observed which was capable of 

 liberating purins and phosphoric acid from yeast nuclein. The presence of 

 amidases was demonstrated by the liberation of ammonia from such bodies 

 as urea, asparagin,. acetanilid, etc. 



The several enzj-m preparations made from /'. conic nihcrti, I'. cJiri/sof/ciuini, 

 P. hrcvicaiilc, and AspcrgillKs iiigcr hydrolyzed hippuric acid into benzoic acid 

 and glycocol. and in this respect differ from animal erepsin. Emulsin was 

 demonstrated by the decomposition of amygdalin, arbutin. and salicin. The 

 lipase reactions were very feeble, but the author attributes this possibly to 

 faulty maiiipuhitions, since the lipases are soluble in ether containing lipoid 

 material. The carbohydrate decomposition phenomenon is somewhat compli- 

 cated by the presence of carbohydrates in the fungi themselves, but the errors 

 from this source were partially eliminated by employing small amounts of 

 enzym and checking with blank autodigestion tests. Amylase, iuulase, raffl- 

 nase, sucrase, maltase. and lactase were identified. 



The influence of boric acid on enzym action, H. Aguluon (t'ornpt. Rciul. 

 Acnd Sci. \I'(iris], IJ/S (1909), No. 20, pp. 13.'iO-lii.',2) .—The effect of boric acid 

 upon pepsin, papain, sucrase, pancreatic and malt amylase, lipase, emulsin, 

 trypsin, and invertase was studied. 



It was found that boric acid had very little effect on the retardation of the 

 enzymatic processes, except in the case of the enzyms contained in the fruit of 

 the castor oil plant. It w^as even found in some instances that boric acid accel- 

 erated the enzym action when added in optimum quantities, and these were 

 established by the author. Boric acid had no effect upon the j^roteolytic action 

 of pepsin. 



A new method for measuring the electrolytic dissociation of water, ('. S. 

 Hudson (U. 8. Dept. Agr., Bur. Chcm. Circ. -'i5, pp. 2). — This is the api^lication 

 of observations by the author and others with the mutarotation of glucose in 

 acid, alkaline, and neutral solutions to the measurement of the electrolytic 

 dissociation of water. 



An improved method of desiccation with some applications to biological 

 problems, L. F. Siiackixl (Aincr. Jour. I'ln/siol.. 2', (/.''«.'/), .Vo. ,?, /)/). 325- 

 S'lO). — An improved method of vacuum desk-cation is described which, in the 

 author's tests, has given very satisfactory results. 



