696 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



in the Reichert-Meissl numl^er was accompanied by a decrease in the Hiil")l and 

 Hehner nnnil)ers and an increase in the K(')ttstorfer number. 



The nonsaponifiable substance in butter fat, A. Kirsten {Ztschr. Uniersuch. 

 Nahr. u. Gemisxiiid., 5 {1902), No. IS, pp. 833-S56). — This consists for the most part of 

 cholesterol. Phytosterol, lecithin, and a yellow coloring matter are present to a 

 small extent. Numerous determinations of crude cholesterol were made by the 

 Bohmer method, which is described. In the butter fat from cows 10 to ]3 years old, 

 in different stages of lactation, the content of cholesterol averaged 0.46 per cent. In 

 the fat from cows 6 to 7 years old the content was 0.38 per cent and in the fat from 

 cows 4 years old the content was 0.42 i^er cent. Cows during the first lactation 

 period showed an average content of 0.39 per cent of cholesterol. At the beginning, 

 nnddle, and end of lactation the percentages of cholesterol were, respectively, 0.?ub, 

 0.44, and 0.50. The stage of lactation had apjiarently some slight influence upon 

 the cholesterol content. 



Constituents of Emmenthaler cheese, E. Winterstein and J. Thony {Ztschr. 

 Phi/siol. Chem., 36 {1902), No. 1, pp. 28-38). — In studying the decomposition prod- 

 ucts formed in Emmenthaler cheese during the process of ripening the authors 

 identified histidin, lysin, pentamethylenediamin, and tetramethylenediamin, and 

 probably guanidin. Tyrosin was found in very old cheese. 



VETERINARY SCIENCE AND PRACTICE. 



The bactericidal action of blood serum and blood plasma, A. Pettersson 

 {Arvh. ITyg., 43 {1902), No. 1, j>p. 49-83). — An extensive series of experiments was 

 conducted l)y the author for the purpose of determining the power of blood serum 

 and l)lood plasma of different experimental animals in destroying bacteria. The 

 serum and plasma used in these experiments came from cattle, rabbits, guinea pigs, 

 dogs, sheep, and cats. Detailed notes are given on the processes employed in obtain- 

 ing the serum and plasma, and on the behavior of these substances as obtained from 

 different animals. During the author's experiments it was found that the plasma of 

 the circulating blood contains substances which destroy bacteria (alexin). After the 

 blood is removed from the body its bactericide action may be either increased or 

 diminished. The quantity of alexin may be increased by alexin which is derived 

 from the leucocytes. The amount of alexin in the serum may be diminished by 

 absor])tion into the fibrin. The action of the alexin may be weakened ])y the appear- 

 ance of the better nutritive condition of the animal, since under such circumstances 

 nutritive substances may be derived from the blood corpuscles. In some species of 

 animals the alexin obtained from leucocytes outside of the animal body is so small 

 in quantity that the bactericide action of the serum is slighter than that of the 

 plasma. In other species of animals, on the other hand, so large a quantity of alexin 

 is derived from the leucocytes after the blood is removed from the body that the 

 bactericide action of the serum is considerably increased. 



The antibodies of the blood serum in animals treated with blastomycetes, 

 F. Sanfelice {Centhl. Bali. ti. Par., 1. Aht., 32 {1902), No. 5, Oriij., pp. 360-365).— 

 The experiments reported in this paper were made on 4 dogs which had been 

 innnunized against Saccbaromi/ces neoformans and a pathogenic blastomycete isolated 

 l)y Plimmer. The results of the author's observations may be stated as follows: In 

 the blood serum of animals which have been immunized against the pathogenic 

 blastomycetes by repeated injections of the same species of blastomycete attenuated 

 by exposure to heat, antibodies or sensibilizing substances were found. These bodies 

 are not to be found in the blood serum of animals infected with blastomycetes. 



The mutual reaction betvreen successive processes of immunization in the 

 animal organism, L. Verney {CcntU. Bald. u. Par., 1. Aid., 32 {1902), No.<^. 4, Orig., 

 pp. 290-307; 5, pp. 366-376). — During the author's extensive experiments with 



