210 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED, 



From bis t^sts of determinations of hydrogen tlie uutlior concludes that " by 

 means of the bomb calorimeter it is possible also to determine hydrogen, but 

 it is a much more difficult and tedious operation, and it is very hard on the 

 bomb, and with the kind of bombs in use at present, the writer considers it too 

 costly and hence impracticable. Trials were made and it was found that the 

 escaping acids attack the apparatus too much ; but as soon as the bomb can be 

 made with platinum or other noucorroding lining all through the gas outlet, 

 a method for hydrogen can doubtless be worked out successfully." 



Rapid and direct estimation of water in foods, condiments, and other 

 materials, Thorner (Siidd. Apotli. Ztg., 1908, p. 585; abs. in Pharm. Praxis, 

 7 (1908), Xo. 8, pp. 363, 36-i). — In this method water is driven out of the ma- 

 terial by distillation with petroleum ether, collected, and measured. The re- 

 sults which the author obtained with milk and milk products, sausage, bread, 

 etc., agree very well with those obtained in the usual way. 



The chemical constitution of the proteins, R. H. A. Plimmer (New York, 

 Bombay, and Calcutta, 1908, pts. 1, pp. XII +100; 2, pp. YIII+66).— In this 

 series of monographs on proteins the subjects considered are the chemical com- 

 position of the protein molecule, the chemical constitution of its units, or the 

 discovery and syntheses of the amino acids, the condensation together of amino 

 acids, and the synthesis of the proteins. Each part contains a bibliography and 

 an index. 



The hydrolysis of egg white with sodium hydroxid solution, Z. H. Skraup 

 and F. Hummelberger {Monatsh. Chem., 30 (1909), Xo. 2, pp. 12S-l'i5).—A 

 progress report of cleavage studies with egg albumin.. 



Hydrolysis of vitellin from the hen's egg', T. P>. Osrorne and D. P>. Jones 

 (Atner. Jour. Physiol., 2', (1909), No. 1, pp. 153-160).— The analytical results 

 are discussed in comparison with earlier work. 



" The most striking difference, and one which we can not explain, is shown by 

 glycocoll, which we were wholly unable to find, although persistent efforts 

 were made to do so. The difference between the percentage of aspartic acid 

 ... [in the authors' analysis and one quoted for comparison] is relatively 

 large, but from such data as are now available it would appear that determina- 

 tions of aspartic acid are among the most uncertain of all of the [jrotein decom- 

 position products. We made no attempt to determine cystin or oxyprolin." 



Hydrolysis of the muscle of scallop, T. B. Osborne and D. B. Jones (Amer. 

 Jour. Physiol., 21, {1909), No. 1, pp. 161-169) .—The results obtained in the 

 hydrolysis of scallop (Pectens irradians) muscle are reported in comparison 

 with those of similar studies of halibut and chicken. 



"The scallop muscle . . . resembles that of halibut and chicken in respect 

 to the small proportion in which the lower amino acids are yielded by hydrolysis. 



" The amount of glutaminic acid is nearly the same as that obtained from 

 chicken muscle, but decidedly greater than that from the fish muscle. 



" The scallop muscle yields distinctly more arginin and less lysin than the 

 other two muscles, and in this respect shows a distinct difference which is 

 greater than any probable error involved in the analysis." 



Electrolytes and colloids. The physical state of gluten, T. B. Wood and 

 W. B. Hardy (Proc. Roy. ,S'oc. [London], Ser. B, 81 {1909), No. B 51,5, pp. 38-1,3, 

 dgms. 2). — A study of gluten by physical chemical methods. 



The quantitative estimation of muscle albumin and myosin in meat of 

 different sorts, G. Bonamartini {Ann. Ig. Sper, n. sen, 18 {1908), No. 2, pp. 235- 

 251 ; abs. in Biochem. Zcntbl, 8 {1909), No. 10, p. 551).— The author insists 

 on the need of such determinations, gives some results, and outlines his method 

 of analysis. 



