18 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



plants. In 2 of the seeds (yellow lupine and peanut germ) vernin was identified. 

 A study of this body led to the conclusion that it contains a carbohydrate group and 

 is to be regarded as a glucosid. 



The nature of the principal phosphorus compound in -wheat bran,, A. J. 

 Patten and E. B. Hart (New York State Sta. Bui. 250, pp. 169-176). — Previous 

 investigations (E. S. R., 15, p. 496) having shown that st>.5 per cent of the phosphorus 

 of wheat bran is, on an average, soluble in water, the nature of this phosphorus was 

 investigated. 



The wheat bran was extracted with 0.2 per cent hydrochloric acid for several 

 hours, with frequent stirring, and filtered. Practically the entire amount of phos- 

 phorus in the filtrate Avas in the form of a phospho-organic acid present in the bran 

 as magnesium-calcium-potassium salt. 



The free acid was prepared from the salt present in the wheat bran and its proper- 

 ties studied. When heated with concentrated mineral acids, it broke up quantita- 

 tively into inosite and phosphoric acid. 



"The free acid corresponds to the formula C,H h P,,( ).„ and is probably identical 

 with Posternak's anhydro-oxymethylene diphosphoric acid. The alkali salts of this 

 acid are freely soluble in water. The calcium and copper salts are slightly soluble, 

 while the barium and strontium salts are but sparingly so. The acid and its salts 

 seem to be of wide distribution in the vegetable kingdom, having already been iso- 

 lated from the seeds of red fir, peas, beans, pumpkin, red and yellow lupine, also 

 from the potato and other tubers and bulbs." 



Cleavage products of elastin, E. Abderhaloen and A. Schittexhelm (Ztschr. 

 Physiol. (In in .,41 (1904), No. 4, pp. 293-298).— Quantitative determinations of the 

 products obtained by the hydrolysis of elastin are reported. The following were 

 found: Glycocoll, leucin, alanin, phenylalanin, ar-pyrrolidin-carbonic acid, glutaminic 

 acid, and amino valeric acid. 



Notes on lupeol, E. Schulze (Ztschr. Physiol. Chem., 41 (1904), No. 5, pp. 474- 

 476). — Data regarding lupeol, a body obtained from yellow lupines, are reported. 



On the detection of cocoanut oil in lard, F. Morrschock (Ztschr. Untersuch. 

 Nahr. it. Genussmtl., 7 (1904), No. 10, pp. 586,587). — Determinations were made of 

 the refractometer, iodin absorption, and saponification numbers of I! samples of lard; 

 the alcohol extract of these samples, and of the residue left from the alcohol extract. 



In extracting with alcohol the fat was treated with either 2 or 3 volumes of alcohol 

 and heated to 45 or 60° C. on a water bath. From 1.65 to 2.38 per cent of the fat 

 was dissolved in the alcohol. Mixtures were also made of lard and 5 or 10 per cent 

 of cocoanut oil and examined in the same manner. The alcohol extract of the pure 

 samples showed a refractometer number of 2.7 to 3.4, a saponification number of 192.2 

 to 194.1, and an iodin number of 69.13 to 70.11, while the mixture of lard and 5 per 

 cent of cocoanut oil showed a refractometer number of -0.1, a saponification number 

 of 206.6, and an iodin number of 56.93, and the mixture of lard and 10 per cent of 

 cocoanut oil a refractometer number of —3.4, a saponification number of 221.6, and 

 an iodin number of 46.56. 



The author concludes that this method is of great value in determining the presence 

 of cocoanut oil in lard. 



On the detection of butter adulteration by means of the phytosterin ace- 

 tate test, M. Siegfelo (Ztschr. Untersuch. Nahr. n. Genussmtl., 7 (1904), No. 10, 

 pp. 577-585). — The author prepared cholesterin and cholesterin acetate from gall- 

 stones, lard, whale oil, and butter fat; and phytosterin and phytosterin acetate from 

 rape-seed oil, cotton-seed oil, sesame oil, and cocoanut oil, and determined the melt- 

 ing points of the different preparations in order to ascertain the accuracy of the Bonier 

 method for the detection of butter adulteration with vegetable oils and fats. 



The melting point of the different preparations of cholesterin acetate varied from 

 113.6 to 115.4° C. The melting point of the different preparations of phytosterin 



