468 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol. 36 



" The toxicity of sodium citrate wlien given intravenously depends upon the 

 rate of injection, the fatal dose varying between 0.4 and 1.6 gui. per liilogram 

 (approximately), but about 70 mg. may produce symptoms. Only large 

 amounts of citrate are toxic when ingested. Large doses given subcutaneously 

 showed cumulative action. . . . The toxicity of sodium citrate depends upon 

 the rate of its oxidation in the body, being more toxic for animals in which 

 larger quantities are eliminated unchanged." 



Elimination of malates after subcutaneous injection of sodium malatc, 

 L. E. Wise (Jom: Biol. Chcm., 28 (1916), No. 1, pp. 185-196).— A study was 

 made of the elimination of malates following the subcutaneous injection of 

 sodium malate in the case of laboratory animals (rabbits and cats). The small 

 amounts of malic acid in the urine were estimated by a modification of the 

 Ohta-Yoder method (E. S. R.. 26, p. 710), the modification consisting in saturat- 

 ing the urine with powdered uranyl acetate, instead of adding saturated solu- 

 tions of the reagents. 



The experiments showed that sodium malate injected subcutaneously in 

 moderate doses was incompletely destroyed by rabbits and cats, from 3 to 21 per 

 cent being eliminated in the urine in the case of rabbits and 17 to 41.5 per cent 

 in the case of cats. Siibcutaneous injections of sodium malate in amounts not 

 exceeding 1 gm. per kilogram of body weight were not followed by nephritis or 

 glycosuria. No symptoms were observed in the case of rabbits, and at most 

 only a slight temporary depression in the case of cats. The injection of large 

 amounts (3.3 gm. per kilogram of body weight) of sodium malate was followed 

 by toxic symptoms, although no effort was made to determine the lowest limit 

 of toxicity. 



The behavior of tartaric acid and the tartrates in the animal organism, 

 M. Kahn (Biochcm. Bui., 4 {1915), No. 1^-15, pp. 398-409) .—A summary and 

 digest of experiental data. 



ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 



Annual review of investigations in general biology, compiled by Y. Dbslage 

 ET At. {Ann. Biol. [Pnri.<i], 19 {1914), pp. XX XV I +588). —This continues the 

 bibliography previously noted (E. S. R., 33, p. 167), presenting data as to the 

 literature published in 1914, with abstracts of the more important articles. 



Animal production, von Ollech {Jahrcsber. Landw., 29 {1914), PP- 180- 

 290). — These pages contain abstracts of German articles on animal production 

 and dairying published during 1914, mo.st of which have been noted from other 

 sources. 



The pituitary gland. — Its effect on growth and fission of planarian worms, 

 Rosalind Wulzen {Jour. Biol. Chem., 25 {1916), No. 3, pp. 625-633 ) .—From 

 experiments reported, the author concludes that a diet of pituitary substance 

 increases the rate of fission in planarian worms regardless of the portion of 

 the glanrl used or the age of the worms. The growth of the worms is accel- 

 erated by a diet of pars glandularis and pars intermedia, provided the diet is 

 begun when the worms are very small. There is indication of a distinction 

 between the substance which produces fission and that which produces growth, 

 and that " the growth-producing substances of pars glandularis and pars inter- 

 media leave the gland by way of the blood vessels of pars glandularis." 



The results of some feeding experiments on chicks with the gland showed 

 inhibition in the pituitary-fed chick during the early growth period. This 

 result confirms that of Pearl previously noted (E. S. R., 34, p. 668). When 

 four months old, however, the control stopped growth, while the pituitary-fed 

 cock continued its rapid development and in three weeks had become much 



