300 EXPERIMENT STATIOX RECORD. 



A. Vlelioever uud C. O. Johns gave a pajjer on the determination of small quan- 

 tities of hydroc-yanic acid. The referee on feeding stuffs, G. L. Bidwell, made 

 a plea for the retention of 6.25 as the nitrogen factor for general feeding stuff 

 analyses. The association voted to retain this factor, and to make a further 

 study of crude fiber methods. 



C. K. Francis, associate referee on crude fiber methods, presented results of 

 cooperative worli on a sample of cotton-seed meal which suggested the need 

 for further study of the official method. The chief trouble seemed to be with the 

 filtering materials (linen, asbestos, or glass wool). A paper by G. L. Bidwell 

 and G. P. Walton on the determination of crude fiber was presented, in which 

 the effect of various factors which influence the results obtained w^ere discussed. 



C. Cutler, associate referee, gave an account of simple methods, macroscopical, 

 microscopical, and otherwise, whereby adulteration in feeds may be detected. 

 The incoming referee is to study samples containing unknown adulterants, 

 quantitative methods for the detection of peat dried at high temperatures, and 

 the maximum percentage of foreign material permissible in mill by-products. 



AY. A. Withers and F. E. Carruth presented a paper on gossypol, a toxic 

 substance in the cotton seed (B. S. R., 11, p. 510). This substance when fed 

 to rabbits in purified cotton-seed meal by way of the mouth or given intraperi- 

 toneally was fatal in every case in a few hours. When fed in corn meal and 

 molasses it was uniformly lethal in from 9 to 16 days. A product precipitated 

 from the gossypol extract with petroleum ether was also found to be poisonous. 

 These properties of gossypol may explain why boiling alcoholic alkali removes 

 the toxicity of cotton-seed meal and why iron salts act as an antidote for 

 cotton-seed meal poisoning (E. S. R., 29. p. 477). The occurrence and proper- 

 ties of gossypol are being further studied. 



J. B. Rather, associate referee on the testing of chemical reagents, reported on 

 methods for the determination of nitrogen in crude caustic soda, M0O3 in 

 molybdic acid, and on solids of ethyl ether not volatile at 100° C. The asso- 

 ciate referee on synthetic products, W. O. Emery, reported on mixtures con- 

 taining caffein and antipyrin. The work is to be continued. 



The associate referee on balsams and gum resins, E. C. Merrell, gave a report 

 on collaborative work on the lead number of gum asafetida. The method for 

 determining the iodin number of Peru balsam is being studied further. 



F. Rabak, associate referee on medicinal plants, presented a report on the 

 physical constants of U. S. Pharmacopoeia oils. E. K. Nelson read a paper on 

 the estimation of santonin in Levant wormseed. 



The associate referees on distilled liquors, meat and fish, water in foods, 

 and cereal products were instructed to work along the same lines as at present. 



The next meeting is to be held in Washington, D. C. The officers elected 

 include as president, C. H. Jones, of Vermont; vice president, R. N. Brackett, 

 of South Carolina ; secretary-treasurer, C. L. Alsberg, of Washington, D. C. : 

 and additional members of the executive committee, J. Hortvet, of Minnesota, 

 and E. F. Ladd. of North Dnkota. 



American Society of Milling and Baking Technology. — ^The fourth annual 

 meeting of this society was held at Washington, D. C, November IS, 1914. 

 The program included reports of experiments with baking powders by Dr. T. J. 

 Bryan, analytical tests by B. R. Jacobs, collaboration in milling by L. A. Fitz, 

 and methods of baking by C. H. Bailey. Officers were elected as follows: 

 R, Harcourt, president; R. W. Thatcher, of Minnesota, vice president: and 

 J. A. LeClerc, of Washington, D. C, secretary. 



