14 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



bath to about 10 cc. and trausferred qualitatively to a 50 cc, volumetric flask 

 containing 30 cc. of saturated aqueous picric acid solution (the solid particles 

 adhering to the sides of the dish are of no consequence provided the washing 

 has been thorough). The flasli is filled to the mark with distilled water when 

 its contents have reached the proper temperature, shaken vigorously, then 

 filtered through a dry filter paper. To 25 cc. of the clear filtrate 6 cc. of the 

 10 per cent sodium hydrate is added, and the creatinin determined colorimetri- 

 cally according to Folin, allowing 10 minutes for the color to develop. The 

 standard is a creatinin solution containing about 7 mg. of creatinin per 10 

 cc. of solution. It may easily be prepared by heating pure anhydrous creatin 

 (about 80 mg.) with 50 cc. of 5 times normal sulphuric acid for 3 hours under 

 a reflux condenser, then diluting at once in a volumetric flask to 100 cc. The 

 titer of this solution remains constant for months." 



A new apparatus for determining crude fi.ber in foods, feeding stuffs, and 

 feces, A. D. Emmett {Abs. in Science, n. ser., 39 (1914), A'o. 1017, p. 957). — 

 It is often very difiicult in making crude fiber determinations to transfer the 

 last portions of the insoluble residue from the flask to the Gooch crucible or 

 funnels. The use of a beaker instead of a flask has many advantages, and 

 accordingly a device was developed which makes this possible. 



" It consists of a specially constructed glass cone and rubber ring which 

 prevents appreciable loss of water vapor during the boiling and thereby any 

 increase in the concentration of the acid and alkali solutions. The inverted 

 cone is attached to a Hopkins condenser with rubber tubing and the ring is 

 snapped on the lower edge of the cone. The condenser, cone, and ring are 

 then lowered over a 400 cc. lipless beaker and adjusted until the connection 

 between the rubber ring and beaker is tight. The entire apparatus is fastened 

 in place by the clamp which holds the condenser. The glass cone is provided 

 with a side-tube attachment which is so constructed that when air is drawn 

 through the apparatus gently the tendency to foam is greatly retarded." 



The estimation of the acid content of flour, farina, and bread, with especial 

 reference to bacterial and enzym action, O. Rammstedt (Ztschr. Angew. 

 Chem., 26 {1913), No. 91, Aufsatzteil, pp. 677-680). — In some work with maize 

 and malted maize products the author concluded that the acidity determinations 

 made by the methods of Kreis-Arragon (B. S. R., 12, p. 823), Plan^chon, 

 Schindler, and Hilger and Glinther were unsatisfactory. The least satisfactory 

 results were obtained with the last-named method. A method was therefore 

 devised which is a combination of the Kreis-Arragon and Lehmanu methods and 

 which excludes the influence of bacteria and enzym s. 



The determination of acid in flour, H. Kbeis and C. Akkagon (Ztschr. 

 Angeiv. Chem., 27 {1914), No. 16, Aufsatzteil, p. 120; abs. in Chem. Ztg., 38 

 (1914), No. 35, Repert., p. 157). — The opinion of Rammstedt (see above) that 

 the Kreis-Arragon method gives results which are too high on account of the 

 enzyms and bacteria, was not found tenable by the experimental data secured. 

 On the other hand, it was found that in handling the residue with alcohol 

 according to Rammstedt's recommendation an amount of acid remains behind 

 which is equivalent to the differences observed by Rammstedt between the two 

 methods. 



The determination of lecithin-phosphorus in macaroni and farinaceous 

 articles, H. C. Fullee {Abs. in Science, n. ser., 39 {1914), No. 1017, p. 952).— 

 " The macaroni is thoroughly softened with hot water, the mass treated with a 

 large excess of alcohol, the liquid filtered, and the solid substance treated with 

 further portions of alcohol; the combined alcoholic solutions are evaporated 

 and the residue extracted with ether, which dissofves the lecithin. Phosphoric 



