80 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



"A further investigation of similar and more ci^niplex combined proteins is 

 indicated and gives promise of more light on the nature of biological specificity." 



Negative results with, the ninhydrin reaction as a test for amino acids in 

 the serum of nephritics and others, li. yi. Pearce (Jour. Amcr. Med. Assoc, 

 G] (1913), No. 16, pp. lJf56, lJf57). — Negative results were obtained with the 

 triketohydrindene hydrate reaction (E. S. R., 26, p. 804) with a total of 47 sera 

 obtained chiefly from nei)hritics and pregnant subjects. "The first group in- 

 cluded acute and chronic nephritis with and without e<lema, uremia, or high 

 blood pre.ssure; the second, normal pregnancy, eclampsia, and vomiting of 

 pregnancy." In every case where coagulable protein was removed by Folin's 

 method the test with the filtrate was negative. 



Biology of the colostrum bodies, E. Thomas (Ztschr. Kindcrhcilk.. Orig., 8 

 {1913), No. It, pp. 291-297, pi. 1). — The polymorphonuclear and mononuclear 

 colostral bodies, amongst them the epithelial-like granular bcMlles (cori>s granu- 

 leux) show a marked phagocytic power toward various pathogenic organisms. 

 The epithelial nature of these bodies is contradicted. The mononuclears and 

 polymorphonuclears show almost the same phagocytic properties and the former 

 ai'e much more phagocytic than the mononuclears of the blood. The bacteria 

 used in the tests were staphylococci and tubercle and colon bacilli. 



Influence of sodium fluorid on the animal body, F. Schwyzer (Biochem. 

 Ztschr., 60 {191-i), No. 1, pp. 32-^2; abs. in Jour. Amcr. Med. Assoc, 63 (1914), 

 No. 4, pp. 323, 324). — Experiments with rabbits, here reported, show that sodium 

 fluorid when administered steadily even in small doses (1 mg. per day or less 

 per kilogram of body weight) causes a loss of lime, chlorin, and fat from the 

 bones. Thus fluorin should not be used for preserving mashes for live stock or 

 for similar purposes. 



Investigations on cotton-seed meal with reference to its toxic action, F. 

 Fkiemann (Untcrsuchunffcn iiber Baumivollsamenmehl init Bcriicksichtigung 

 seiner toxischen Wirkung. Inaug. Diss., Univ. Bern, 1909, pp. 43). — The symp- 

 toms of poisoning which result from feeding cotton-seed meal are said to be due 

 to ptomaines which have a neurin- or muscarin-like action. The unsaturated 

 fatty acids present in the fat extracted from the meal probably have some rela- 

 tion to the sum total of the toxic action. The ptomaine substances are probably 

 formed from the nitrogen-containing components of the lecithin in the meal. 

 Attempts to obtain the coloring matter pi-esent in the ether extract in sufficient 

 amounts for examination were unsuccessful. 



Chlor-xylenol-sapocresol (Sagrotan), a new disinfectant, M. Schottelius 

 (Arch. Hyg., 82 {191',), No. 2, pp. 76-96; abs. in Rev. Bad., 4 (1914), A'O. 2, p. 

 84). — ^The new disinfectant known commercially as "Sagrotan" is said to 

 represent a distinct improvement in disinfecting value over lysol and other 

 cresol compounds, its germicidal activity being somewhat remarkable. Sporing 

 cultures of anthrax bacilli obtained from different laboratories were destroyed 

 within 24 hours' exposure by a 2 per cent solution of the disinfectant, whereas 

 some of the strains survived after the cultures had been exposed to a 5 per cent 

 solution of phenol for 2S days. Satisfactory results were obtained in other 

 experiments in which material infected with tubercle bacilli, typhoid bacilli, 

 streptococci, and staphylococci was exposed to its action. Feeding experiments 

 on dogs have shown that Sagrotan is less toxic than other cresol compounds. 



The bacteriological standardization of disinfectants, H. C. Hamilton and 

 T. Ohno (Amer. Jour. Pub. Health, 4 (1914), No. 6. pp. 4S6-497, pis. 2).— The 

 authors present data which point to a marked variation in the results of germi- 

 cidal assays by the Hygienic Laboratory method." Suggestions are made as to 

 means of obtaining uniform results in the standardization of disinfectants. 



"Pub. Health and Mar. Hosp. Serv. U. S., Hyg. Lab. Bui. 82 (1912), pp. 74. 



