782 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



"As regards t lie variations of digestion of food by the same person under differ- 

 ent conditions, the results of inquiry up to the present time lead to the inference 

 that while the digestive apparatus of the subject is in normal condition, and the 

 quantities of food are also normal, the coefficients of digestibility are much less 

 affected by exercise or rest than is commonly supposed. There does seem to be 

 ground, how ever, for the belief that in ordinary mixed diet the digestion is generally 

 more complete than where only a single food material is eaten." 



The digestion experiment with 3 chemists was made in connection 

 with a dietary study published in the Annual Eeport of the station for 

 1894 (E. S. E., 7, p. 59G). Thebalauceof income and outgo of nitrogen 

 was determined for each of the 10 days of the experiment. The aver- 

 age daily balance was as follows: In food 18.5 gm., in urine 11.9 gm., 

 in feces 1.7 gm.; nitrogen gained 4.9 gm., protein gained 30.7 gm. 



"It will be noticed that protein was stored constantly during the experiment, 

 showing that the dietary furnished more of total nutrients and of nitrogenous 

 material than was necessary for nitrogen equilibrium under the circumstances. 



"The amounts of food eaten varied from day to day in accordance with the incli- 

 nations of the subjects of the experiments. This doubtless explains in large part 

 the daily variations in the nitrogen excretion.'' 



Two digestion experiments with an infant, A. P. Bryant 



{Connecticut Storrs Sta. Rpt. 1896, pp. 181-185). — Two digestion experi- 

 ments with an infant were made iu connection with dietary studies 

 previously reported by the station (E. S. E., 8, p. 119). In the first test 

 the food consisted of cows' milk alone and in the second of cows' milk, 

 oatmeal, and sugar. The child was about 9 months old. The results 

 are briefly shown in the following table: 



Coefficients of digestibility of milk and milk, oatpieal, and sugar. 



The results obtained are discussed at length and compared with 

 similar results obtained by other investigators. 



u It may be of interest to note here that a rough qualitative test 

 showed but a comparatively small amount of calcium salts and of 

 phosphoric acid in the feces, while the ash of the milk and of the oat- 

 meal contained these substances in relatively large amounts." 



The influence of borax and boric acid upon nutrition, with 

 special reference to proteid metabolism, E. H. Chittenden and 

 W. J. Gies (Amer. Jour. Physiol, 1 (1898), Wo. l,pp. 1-39).— The authors 

 report 3 experiments with a dog. A period in which borax or boric acid 

 was given was preceded and followed by a normal period. The balance 

 of income and outgo of nitrogen was determined; also the specific 

 gravity of the urine, its reaction, and content of uric acid, total and 



