FOODS ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 163 



Among the conclusions drawn were the following: 



"The freer use of milk did not, as is supposed l>y some to he the case, increase the 

 gross weight of food eaten. The extra amount of milk consumed replaced other 

 animal foods to a nearly corresponding extent in the lirst trial and caused a propor- 

 tionate diminution in the consumption of vegetable foods in the second study, 



"The actual quantity of water- free nutrients eaten diminished rather than increased 

 when more milk was supplied. This is in marked contrast to the apparent effect of 

 the free use of maple sirup, which was accompanied hy a notably large consumption 

 of nutrients. 



"In both trials the increased consumption of milk had the effect of materially nar- 

 rowing the nutritive ratio of the dietary, a result which appears to he generally 

 desirable. 



"The dietaries in which milk was more abundantly supplied were somewhat less 

 costly than the others and at the same time were fully as acceptable. 



"These results indicate that milk should not he regarded as a luxury, hut as an 

 economical article of diet, which families of moderate income may freely purchase as 

 a probable means of improving the character of the dietary and of cheapening the 

 cost of their supply of animal foods." 



The influence of beer on the nitrogen metabolism of healthy 

 men, E. li. Bertels (Zur Frage iiber den Einfluss des Bieres auf die 

 Stickstoff metamorphose bei gesunden Menschen. Inaug. Diss. Dorpat,1897; 

 abs. in Chem. Ztg., 21 {1897), No. 37, Repert, p. 10.5).— The author made 

 a number of experiments with healthy men to determine the influence 

 of beer on the metabolism of nitrogen. When beer was consumed the 

 excretion of nitrogen diminished noticeably and quite rapidly. The 

 quantity of urine increased, while the specific gravity diminished. 

 The author concludes that beer should be regarded not only as an 

 alcoholic beverage, but also (on account of the nutritive material which 

 it contains) as a food. The lactic and acetic acids and bitter principle 

 from hops in beer exert a favorable influence on digestion. 



The composition of cooked fish, Catherine I. Williams (Jour. 

 Chem. Soc. {London], 71-72 (1897), No. 410. pp. 649-653).— -The author 

 reports an investigation of the composition of 27 samples of cooked 

 fish and 1 sample of oysters. The fish included among others fresh 

 and salt herring, sardine, California salmon, eel, mackerel, fresh and 

 salt cod, halibut, and soles. They were prepared as for the table by 

 cooking in boiling water, the salt fish being soaked in cold water before 

 cooking. When cold the head, bones, and such portions of the skin of 

 the fish as would ordinarily be rejected at the table were removed, 

 weighed, crushed in a mortar, and boiled in distilled water, the water 

 evaporated to constant weight, and the residue taken as gelatin. The 

 nutrients, water, gelatin, and waste in the fish as served at the table 

 were recorded. Ultimate analyses, including sulphur and phosphorus, 

 and proximate analyses of the samples were made. The heat of com- 

 bustion was calculated and also determined directly with a Thomson 

 calorimeter. 



An interesting feature of the results is the somewhat high percentage 

 of "reducing substances reckoned as glucose" which the author found. 



