1919] FOODS — HUMAN NUTRITION. 505 



hydrate. If lice were substituted for atta. there was a deficiency Of protein 



ami tat and a large excess of carbohydrate 1 100 per cent). 



Anemia and debility occurred in both British and Indian troops during the 

 Bummer when, owing to transport difficulties and great heat, tin- supply of 

 fresh food was short. Scurvy was Hunted to Indian troops, but was prevalent 

 from May to September when there was a scarcity of foods having antiscor- 

 butic value. 



It was found that the most valuable antiscorbutics wire fresh sour limes 

 and raw potatoes. The author states that raw potato can be made Into a 

 palatable salad by being cut up into small pieces and mixed with ouion and 

 vinegar and in this way can be used with great success in the early treatment 

 of scurvy. Berl-beri was found in British troops during December, 1915, and 

 January, 1916. It was believed to be due to the excessive rclinement of the 

 British Hour, " Marmite," a yeast extract preparation extremely rich in anti- 

 beri-beri vitamins was used as a protective against beri-beri. Atta, used in 

 place of the British flour, was also found to have a high protective value. 



Influence of high temperatures and dilute alkalis on the antineuritic 

 properties of foods, A. L. Daniels and N. L. McClurg (Jour. Biol. Chemi., SI 

 i 1919), No. 1, pp. 201-21S, Jlys. 5).— Studies are reported of the effect upon tL>> 

 antineuritic properties of cabbage and of soy and navy beans of cooking in 

 fresh boiling water, in boiling water to which a small amount of sodium 

 bicarbonate bad been added, and in an autoclave at 120° C. The extracted 

 water-soluble material was fed to young rats in abundant proportions in a 

 diet adequate except for the factor under question. The resulting growth 

 curves indicate that in no case was there any appreciable destruction of the 

 vitamin. 



In explaining the difference in results obtained with dilute alkali from those 

 of McCollum and Simmouds (E. S. H., 38, p. 612), the authors suggest the 

 probability that the rations employed in the earlier investigation contained 

 only a minimum amount of the antineuritic vitamin. In this case a slight 

 destruction would be more evident than when an excess of the vitamin was 

 employed. 



The results obtained by heating the vegetable to 120° were not in accord 

 with those reported by Chick and Hume (E. S. R., 38, p. 481). On the con- 

 trary, the authors consider it improbable that in the commercial canning of 

 foods the vitamin is destroyed to such an extent that too little will be in- 

 cluded in the diet when the usual amount of canned food is eaten. 



The appearance of the antiscorbutic substance in the course of the germi- 

 nation of grains, E. Weill, G. Moukiquand, ami Miss I'ekonnet (I'ampt. 

 Rend. Sot: Biol. [Paris], 81 (1918), No. 11, pp. 607-610).— Feeding experiments 

 with rabbits are reported, the results of which, contrary to those of Fursi 

 (E. S. It., 27, p. 567), indicate that sprouted grains (oats or barley) possess 

 no antiscorbutic property, although the animals survived longer on a ration 

 of sprouted than of unsprouted grains. 



On the deficiency theory of the origin of beri-beri in the light of clinical 

 and experimental observations of the disease, with an account of a series 

 of 40 cases, F. M. R. Walshe (Quart. Jour. Med. [London], 11 (1918), No. k'h 

 pp. 320SS8). — This article is primarily a discussion of the deficiency theory 

 of the origin of beri-beri, based upon case reports from the general hospitals 

 of Alexandria and upon the experimtntal work of various authors. 



The conclusion is drawn that both in man and poultry there are two factors In 

 the production of the disease, (1) the absence of an accessory food factor or vita- 



