862 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.36 



in the blood and tissues of sliellfisli, wliere it probably plays some part in 

 respiration in the same way that iron does in the red-blooded animals. 



Determinations were made of copper in several samples of oysters which 

 showed marlied blue coloration. Using the color test with potassium ferro- 

 cyanid, the three blue samples were found to contain about 40 mg. of copper 

 apiece and the uncolored ones 9 mg. Using the more reliable method for deter- 

 mining copper by electrolysis, less than half of this amount of copper was 

 obtained. 



General statistics of the [Alaska] fisheries in 1915, W. T. Bowee and H. D. 

 Alleb (U. S. Dept. Com., Bur. Fisheries Doc. SSJf {1911), pp. 28-68). — A com- 

 pilation of statistical data regarding the canning, curing, pickling, freezing, dry 

 salting, drying, and smoking of salmon. Data are also included regarding the 

 halibut, cod, herring, and whale fisheries, as well as the minor fisheries (trout, 

 black cod, shellfish, etc.). 



Some new constituents of milk. — II, The distribution of phosphatids in 

 milk, T. B. Osborne and A. J. Wakeman {Jour. Biol. Chem., 28 {1916), No. 1, 

 pp. 1-9). — The experiments here reported were carried out to extend earlier 

 work (E. S. R., 33, p. 660). The following conclusions are drawn: 



"Alcohol removes from milk casein, precipitated by dilute hydrochloric acid, 

 about the same amount of phosphatids as was previously obtained from the 

 ' lactalbumin ' obtained by heating the filtrate from the casein. Since the 

 amount of casein is more than six times as much as the ' lactalbumin,' the pro- 

 portiton of phosphatid which it yields is correspondingly less. 



" The precipitate produced by treating skimmed milk, freed from casein and 

 heat-coagulable proteins, with sodium hydroxid until neutral to phenolphthalein 

 contains a very small amount of the same phosphatids and fatty substances 

 that can be obtained from the alcoholic washings of the heat-coagulable pro- 

 teins (' lactalbumin '). The nonprotein fractions of fat-free milk contain at the 

 most only minute traces of phosphatids. The total amount of phosphatids 

 obtained from 1 liter of whole milk was equal to about 27 mg. 



" Phosphatids are intimately associated with the protein constituents of milk 

 and possibly are combined with them as ' lecithalbumins.' " 



Milk: A cheap food. Flora Rose {Cornell Reading Course for Farm Home, 

 No. S {1917), pp. 73-85). — This bulletin discusses the cost of milk as a source 

 of body-building materials and body-regulating substances. It includes an out- 

 line for study clubs on the food value of milk and a bibliography of references 

 on its nutritive value. 



The colloidal swelling of wheat gluten in relation to milling and baking, 

 F. W. Upson and J. W. Calvin {Nebraska Sta. Research Bui. 8 {1916), pp. 21, 

 figs. 5). — The experiments reported in this bulletin deal with the changes in 

 hydration capacity of gluten under different conditions, and consisted in deter- 

 mining accurately the amount of water absorbed by gluten from solutions of 

 varying concentrations of different acids, both with and without the presence 

 of salts. The results of the experiments may be summarized as follows: 



" Wheat gluten is an emulsoid colloid and shows all the properties of this 

 class of compounds. 



" Gluten absorbs water from dilute acid solutions, thereby losing its tenacity 

 and ductility, becoming soft and gelatinous. The presence of small amounts 

 of neutral salts in the dilute acid solutions inhibits water absorption by gluten." 



The bread-making qualities of dough made from wheat flour depend upon 

 the quantity and quality of the gluten it contains. The quality of the gluten 

 is regulated by the kind and concentration of the acids and salts present in 

 the dough. " If the kind and amounts of the acids and salts are such as to 



