266 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



be replaced on nfcount of tlic iiial)ility of the central nervous system to 

 regenerate. 



"Tbe phosphorus required for the growth of the brain is amply supplied by 

 the phosphorus of our daily diet. If desired, the addition of phosi)horus-rich 

 foods, such as eggs, sweetbreads (pancreas), liver, and some meats, can be 

 made to meet further requirements, and will far exceed in amount the phos- 

 phorus obtained in less natural form from the prescribed doses of any of the 

 various drugs in commercial use. The use of such foods is, however, limited 

 by their richness and their tendency, on account of their rich fat content, to 

 interfere with gastric digestion. 



"As far as the nervous system is concerned, the addition to the diet of com- 

 mercial ]>hosphorus compounds, such as hyi)oi)hosphites, glycerophosphate, phy- 

 tin, lecithin, etc., is to be discouraged because, in the first place, there is no 

 conclusive evidence that they have any effect on the growth of the brain, and, 

 second, the amount usually recommended means only a very insignificant addi- 

 tion to the amount of phosphorus (even in its special forms such as lecithin) 

 taken with the daily food." 



Acid intoxication, J. B. Nichols (Wafiliington Med. /inn., 7 (1908), No. 2, 

 pp. 133-l.'i7). — It was the author's piu'pose in this discussion of the subject 

 " not only to present an outline of existing knowledge concerning acid intoxica- 

 tion, but also to call attention to the fact that the condition, even in marked and 

 serious form, f>ccurs much more frequently than is generally realized." 



On the composition of dilute renal excretions, A. 15. Macallum and C. C. 

 Benson (Jour. Biol. Cliem., 6 (1!)0D), No. 2, pp. S7-10'i). — Quotations from the 

 authors' summary follow: 



"The elimination of water is not due to filtration, but to the i)hysiological 

 activity of the renal membranes involved in the elimination. 



"The removal of potassium salts and of chlorids from the blood by the kid- 

 neys is not due to filtration, but to forces which may be termed ' secretory,* " 

 that is, it is caused by an activity which is apparently selective, or differential, 

 but which may be explained as due to differences in solubility of the different 

 inorganic constituents of the plasma in the secreting membrane. The solu- 

 bility, either relatively, or absolutely, or both relatively and absolutely, would 

 be altered by changes in the constitution of the membrane brought about by 

 the action on it of unusual constituents of the plasma or of constituents of un- 

 usual proportions." 



Factors regulating the creatinin output in man, P. A. Levene and L. 

 Kristellee (Amcr. Jour. Physiol., 2', (1009), No. 1, pp. //.5-6.5).— The following 

 statements are quoted from the deductions drawn from the experimental data 

 reported : 



" From the results of our experiments one also x-eeeives the impression that 

 the formation of creatin and creatinin represents two phases in the catabolism 

 of but one substance, as in most observations a fall in the creatinin output was 

 associated with an increased creatin elimination, and a high protein diet 

 (crea tin-free), in some patients, caused a rise in the output of both substances. 



" The constant value of the creatinin output in normal men is conditioned 

 by the high velocity of creatin combustion in health. Thus, the creatinin of 

 the urine normally represents only a small fraction of the creatin formed in 

 the- organism. The condition might be analogous to the uric acid output in 

 the dog, in which the power of oxidation of purin derivatives is exceedingly 

 high. The uric acid content of dog's urine is minimal, and, being so, appears 

 to be practically constant. However, as soon as the liver is excluded from cir- 

 culation and the intensity of purin oxidation is diminished, the uric acid out- 

 put in the dog begins to show marked variations influenced by the character 



