562 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



(mice) carried out to contribute to the linowledge of vitamins and lipoids may 

 be summarized as foiiows: 



Rye bread prepared with water was found to have a greater nutritive value 

 than bread prepared from fine wheat flour and water. The nutritive value of 

 the wheat bread was greatly increased and in some instances made to equal that 

 of rye bread by an addition of niillj, pressed lees, rye 1)ran, wheat bran, or ex- 

 tracts prepared from army bread. Since these constituents of rye bread, which 

 are necessary for the maintenance of life, dissolve readily in water but can not 

 be extracted with alcohol and ether, they can not l)e identified with the lipoid- 

 like nutrients of millv. 



Study of the diet of laborers in a district of Spain, I. G. Colmenabes (Bol. 

 Agr. Tec. y Econ., 6 (lOUf), No. 69, pp. 83.3-838).— The author reports the results 

 of observations regarding the diet of laborers. This diet is found to be deficient 

 in protein, in fat, and in carbohydrates. 



[Army rations] {Pure Products, JO {IDl.'t), No. 11. pp. 54o, 5^6). — Notes are 

 given of the minimum daily rations supplied to the French, German, and 

 Belgian soldiers. 



Subsistence Supplies Branch [Office of U. S. Quartermaster General] {War 

 Dept. [U. 8.], Rpt. Quartermaster Gen., 191.',, pp. 12-18).— On the basis of 

 experience some information is given regarding the use of dehydrated vege- 

 tables. Field bread, rolling kitchens, cooking outfits for Philippine scouts, and 

 field cooking utensils are discussed. Statements are made regarding the exten- 

 sion of schools for army bakers and cooks. 



Brief reference is also made to studies of emergency rations undertaken for 

 the War Department by the Nutrition Investigations of the U. S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. It is pointed out that digestion experiments with an 

 emergency ration of which chocolate was a component led to the conclusion 

 that it was not suitable for this purpose. The ration was, therefore, discon- 

 tinued, and experimental studies are being made with a view to finding a substi- 

 tute which will fulfill the necessary conditions. 



The specific dynamic action of foods, S. Cserna and G. Kelemen {Biochem. 

 Ztschr., 66 {191-',), No. 1-3, pp. 63-7Ji). — Intravenous injection into eviscerated 

 animals (dogs) of substances such as urea, sodium chlorid. and dextrose pro- 

 duced an increase in gaseous metabolism. The authors state that this increase 

 can not be due to the increased work of the kidneys or to acceleration of the 

 heart action, as has been suggested by others, since different substances in- 

 jected in the same quantity of liquid produced this increase in different degrees. 

 In the light of these experiments it also appeared that the gaseous metabolism 

 is not proportionately increased with the work of the intestines. The authors 

 believe that tlie increased metabolism produced by these substances depends 

 upon their stimulative action on the cells whereby their metabolism of matter 

 and energy is increased. 



The influence of the spleen in nutrition, C. Richet {Jour. Physiol, et Path. 

 (J6n:, 15 {1913), No. 3, pp. 579-583; ahs. in Hyg. Rundschau, 2J, {1914), No. 9, 

 p. 530). — According to the author's observations, laboratory animals (dogs) 

 with the spleen removed required more food to maintain unchanged weight 

 than normal animals. Therefore he concludes that the spleen plays a very 

 important part in nutrition, aiding in the complete utilization of nutritive 

 material. 



The influence of early removal of the thyroid and parathyroid glands 

 upon nitrogenous metabolism in the sheep, A. Hunter {Quart. Jour. Expt. 

 Physiol., 8 {191J,), No. 1, pp. 23-32). — The following conclusions were drawn 

 by the author from the results of a study of three laboratory animals (sheep) 

 from which the thyroid and parathyroid glands had been removed : 



