FOODS NTTTRlTION". 681 



experiments which are reported on the character of the proteolytic action of pajiain 

 led to the followinji; conclusions: "While the products of the papain digestion of 

 proteids resemble quite closely those of pepsin, so far as they have been examined 

 in detail, the enzym differs from ordinary animal pepsin in that it acts readily in 

 both neutral and alkaline media. On the other hand, although papain is compara- 

 ble with trypsin in exerting a solvent action in fluids of various reactions, the failure 

 to form leucin, tyrosin, or tryptophan in inappreciable quantities— at least under con- 

 ditions in which they are readily formed in large quantities l)y the other tryptic 

 enzyms — places it in a class of its own for the present." 



A new method of measuring- the effect of pepsin, E. I. Spriggs {Zl>ichr. 

 f^Injnlol. Clicm., 35 (19(L'), Xo. (!, ]>p. 4G5-404, pJ^. ;?, /'^F- 5).— From experimental 

 data wdiich are reported, the author believes that a study of tlie viscosity of solutions 

 treated with pepsin furnislies a means of judging of its effects. His conclusions 

 follow: The viscosity of a solution of coagulable protein diminishes (hiring the 

 process of digestion. A similar effect is observed when hydrochloric acid is present 

 without the pepsin, but it takes place much mc^re slowly. Jf the ciiange in viscosity 

 during digestion is shown graphically as a curve, it will be seen that the change is 

 at first rapid, then slower, and finally very small. When the viscosity remains con- 

 stant the greater part of the coagulable protein is transformed into the uncoagula- 

 ble form. Portions of the same protein solution treated with different quantities of 

 pepsin contain like amounts of coagulable and uncoagulable protein when the vis- 

 cosity is the same. The decrease in viscosity shown by curves can be explained 

 mathematically, and furnishes a means of measuring the rapidity of digestion of dif- 

 ferent 2>epsin solutions. 



The effect of different chemical bodies upon the activity of pancreas 

 diastase ferment, Y. GrOtzneu {Arch. Physiol. [Pjluger^, 01 {1902), No. 3-4, pp. 

 195-207, Jigs. 3). — The chemical bodies included in these experiments, which were 

 conducted by M. Wachsmann, were halogen salts, alkalis and alkali salts, sulphates 

 and other salts, inorganic and organic acids, alcohol, and chloroform. 



Concerning' the process of dig-estion in the small intestine, II, F. Kutscher 

 and J. Seemann {Zl.^chr. I'hijshil. ('hern., 35 {1903), No. 4-5, ]tp. 432-45S).—N study of 

 the ferments of the small intestine. 



Concerning- the absorption of simple stereoisomeric sugars in the small 

 intestine, J. Nagano {Arch. Phi/slol. [Pfliujtr], 90 {1902), No 7-<9, pp. 389-404, 

 fig. 1). — Csing dogs with fistulas the author studied the absorption of 4 hexoses, i. e., 

 d-glucose, d-galactose, d-mannose, and d-fructose, and 2 pentoses, i. e., 1-xylose and 

 1-arabinose. It was found that the stereoisomeric sugars had a different rate of 

 absorption. Sugars with 5 carlion atoms were more slowly absorbed than those with 

 6 carbon atoms. When sugar solutions of like concentration were taken, the water 

 absorption showed the same differences in rai^idity as the sugars. The absorption of 

 water diminished in proportion to concentration of a given sugar solution. In the 

 upper part of the intestine, relatively speaking, sugar is more rapid!}' absorbed than 

 water; in the lower part of the intestine the reverse is true. 



On the lymphagogic action of the strawberry, and on post-mortem lymph 

 flow, L. B. Mendel and D. R. Hooker {Arner. Jour. Physiol., 7 {1902), No. 4, PP- 

 380-3SG).—\w experiments made with a dog, an extract prepared from desiccated 

 strawberries was injected intravenously. According to the author, this accelerates 

 the flow of lymph richer in solids ttian is normally the case, and its action resembles 

 that producetl by other typical lyinphagogues of Heidenhain's first class, viz, those 

 which produce their particular lymphagogic influence hystimulating the endothelial 

 cells ot the blood capillaries, and that the latter thus exert a secretory function which 

 results 111 the formation of lymph. The effect of strawberry extract on the post- 

 mortem flow of lymph was also studied. 



Concerning- the formation of sug-ar from protein, (). I^oew {Beilr. Clian. 



