1917] FOODS — HUMAN NUTRITION. 361 



" The proteins of the maize kernel contain all the amino acids essential for 

 growth but the proportions of certain of them are such that they are not 

 utilizable to a high degree as the sole source of protein. When other factors 

 affecting nutrition were properly adjusted, . . . growth [took place] at about 

 two-thirds the noi-mal rate, over a period of six or seven months, on a diet in 

 which all the protein was derived from 91 per cent of ground maize in the 

 ration." 



The maize kernel contains both " fat-soluble A " and " water-soluble B," but 

 the former is present in too small an amount for the maintenance of growth 

 at the maximum rate in rats. If the maize diet is supplemented with an 

 alcoholic extract of maize containing the " fat-soluble A," growth is induced 

 which more closely approximates the normal than without this addition, and 

 this was followed by reproduction and rearing of the young. 



The inorganic content of the corn kernel is not of suitable character for the 

 promotion of growth, and it was necessary to make salt additions to rations 

 deriving their inorganic content from maize before growth could take place. 

 The authors state that it is evident from experiments carried out thus far, that 

 it is not easy, if at all possible, to make up a satisfactory ration wholly derived 

 from the corn kernel and its parts. 



The effects of feeding the proteins of the wheat kernel at different planes 

 of intake, E. V. McCollum, N. Simmonds, and W. Pitz {Jour. Biol. Chcm., 28 

 {1916), No. 1, pp. 211-229, figs. 17). — In this paper the authors attempt to throw 

 some light upon the problem of whether an animal is as well off physiologically 

 with a ration otherwise satisfactorily constituted but containing a high content 

 of protein of low value as when given the same food mixture with the low 

 grade protein replaced by its biologically equivalent amount of a much better 

 protein. These experiments, like others in which a diet high in wheat content 

 was fed, emphasized the marked injury to the progeny resulting from such re- 

 stricted diets. The authors were not able to make up a ration, containing 

 wheat protein only, which was adequate for the rearing of the young. 



" The addition of 10 per cent of casein to a ration which contained 36.33 per 

 cent of protein from wheat, and which was satisfactory with respect to all 

 dietary factors other than protein and an inherent toxicity, improved the ration 

 in a marked degree. Growth was not interfered with by the inclusion of as 

 much as 40.45 per cent of wheat proteins in the diet, but on this the young 

 could not be reared. 



" Growth was normal and the production of young was good on a diet 

 containing 46.63 per cent of protein, of which 43.0 per cent was casein, and 

 3.63 per cent of wheat proteins. The cause of the failure to rear the young 

 on this diet has not yet been definitely ascertained, but would appear to be 

 due in great part at least to the shortage of the supply of the dietary factor 

 ' B,' the sole source of which was the 33 per cent of wheat in the food mixture. 

 As small an amount as 15 per cent of whole wheat as the source of the ' water- 

 soluble B,' suffices for the completion of growth in the rat and so promotes well- 

 being as to induce the production of a nearly normal number of young. The 

 amount of this substance is not great enough to enable the young to develop to 

 weaning age without causing pronounced nervous disturbances which end in 

 death." 



The drying' for milling purposes of damp and garlicky wheat, J. H. Cox 

 {U. S. Dept. Agr. Bnl. ^55 {1916), pp. 11, figs. 3).— This bulletin reports data 

 showing the proper temperature at which wheat should be dried for milling 

 purposes, obtained in connection with investigations to determine the best 

 method of artificially drying, cleaning, and handling garlicky wheat for mill- 



