101!»] AGBI0T7LTUHAL CHF.MISTRY— -AaROTBOHHY. 205 



of results obtained in determining the alkalinity of the ash of spices, materials 

 use.i for adulteration of spices, and a few food materials. 



The author considers that errors due to contamination of the ash with sul- 

 phur from the gas and to loss on ignition may be overcome by the use of a per- 

 forated asbestos plate sealed with sand and heated over a mushroom burner. 

 Loss of acid in samples in which there is an excess of acids over bases and tha 

 formation of metaphosphates and pyrophosphates may be avoided by the addi- 

 tion of known amounts of sodium hydroxid. 



The method described for determining the alkalinity of the ash consists of 

 three titrations of the ash with hydrochloric acid, first against methyl orange, 

 then against phenolphthalein, and finally against phenolphthalein after the 

 addition of calcium chlorid or disedium phosphate. From these figures cal- 

 culations can be made for carbonate plus oxygen, phosphoric acid, and calcium. 



Determination of purin bases in food materials, T. vox Fkt.lknberg 

 (Biochem. Ztaehr., 88 (1918), No. 5-6, pp. 323-336).— This is a report of the 

 analyses of various food materials for their content of purin bases. The re- 

 sults calculated on the fresh and dried substance are reported in tabular form. 



Among animal products the internal organs were found to be richest in 

 purine. Blood contains very little purin. Tendons, bones, marrow, fat. milk, 

 and eggs are almost purin-free. Vegetable products show a wide range of 

 purin content, the largest amount being in the alkaloid-containing substances. 

 Lettuce, spinach, and cabbage are rich in purins, also certain tubers such as 

 radishes and kohlrabi. Potatoes are poor in purins, as are also the legumes 

 and to a still greater extent the cereals. The .smallest purin content is found 

 in oil seeds and spices, and in fruits and beverages obtained from them. Al- 

 coholic and acetic fermentation do not increase the purin content. 



The determination of the hexabromid and iodin numbers of salmon oil as 

 a means of identifying the species of canned salmon, H. S. Bailey and J. M. 

 Johnson (Jour. Indus, and Engin. Chcm., 10 (1918), No. 12. pp. 999-1001). — The 

 authors, at the Bureau of Chemistry, of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

 have developed a modified method for the determination of the so-called hexa- 

 bromid value of fish oils, In which an acetic acid solution of hromin is used as 

 the precipitant. Tins value and the iodin number have been determined for the 

 oil obtained from canned salmon of five different species. 



It was found that oils expressed from canned salmon and dried with an- 

 hydrous sodium sulphate, after the mechanical removal of the greater part of 

 the water, have practically the same iodin and hexabromid value as the oils 

 extracted with ether, provided proper precautions are taken to prevent oxida- 

 tion during the extraction. The results reported indicate that it may be pos- 

 sible to distinguish the variety of canned salmon by a determination of the 

 hexabromid and iodin values of the oil. 



The detection of eggs in pastes, F. Schaffeb and E. Gury (Mitt. Lcbensm. 

 V titer such. u. Hgy., Schioeiz. Gsndhisamt., 7 (1916), No. 5, pp. 217- .222 : abs. in 

 Chern. Abs., 11 (1917), No. 11, pp. 1693, 1691,).— The method described depends 

 upon the reduction of an alkaline copper solution by the action of egg albumin. 

 The technique is as follows: 



To 50 cc. of water at room temperature, add 5 gm. of the finely ground paste 

 and shake at intervals for 2 hours. Filter, and to 10 cc. of the filtrate add 

 1 cc. of N sodium hydroxid and 2 cc. of a 1 per cent copper sulphate solution. 

 Warm on a water bath at 50° C, and note the length of time before the blue 

 color disappears. If this is from 21 to 23 minutes, the paste contains no egg. 

 With paste containing 1 egg per kilogram, the color was found to persist from 

 32 to 34 minutes, 2 eggs from 39 to 43, 3 eggs from 49 to 54. and 3 egg yolks 



109642°— 19 2 



