RECENT WORK IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE 



AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY— AGROTECHNY. 



A method for the separation of the dietary essential, " fat-soluble A," 

 from butter fat, E. V. McColi.um, Nina Simmonds, and H. Stefnbock (Jour. 

 Biol. Chcm., 29 (1917), Ao. 2. p. A'A'TV).— The authors, at the Wisconsin Experi- 

 ment Station, conducted feeding experiments in which milk fat which had been 

 melted and thoroughly agitated with 20 successive portions of water was used. 

 After this treatment it was found to be no longer effective in producing growth 

 when fed with suitably constituted diets. Change to unwashed milk fat was 

 followed by a prompt resumption of growth. 



Antineuritic substances from egg yolk, H. Steenbock {Jour. Biol. Cliem., 

 29 {1917), No. 2, p. XXVII).— The author, at the Wisconsin Experiment Sta- 

 tion, notes the preparation of an acetone-soluble fraction from egg yolk which 

 in small doses by intraperitoneal injection was able to cure a pigeon suffering 

 from polyneuritis. The antineuritic substance vftrs found to be stable to con- 

 centrated hydrochloric acid at 98° C. and to concentrated alkalis at room tem- 

 perature, but was readily destroyed by dilute alkalis at boiling temperature. 

 It was incompletely precipitated by phosphotungstlc acid. It is indicated that 

 it was not adenln. 



Adenin and giianin in cows' milk, C. Vobotlin and C. P. Shkrwin {Jour. 

 Biol. Chem., 29 {1917), No. 2, p. V/).— From 100 liters of a mixe<l sample of 

 cows' milk the authors Isolated 500 mg. of adenin and 100 mg. of guanin by 

 means of silver precipitation of the protein-free residue. 



Calcium and phosphorus in the blood of lactating cows, E. B. Meigs and 

 N. R. Bi.ATHERwicK {Jour. Biol. Chem., 29 {1917), No. 2, pp. XI, A*//).— Cal- 

 cium, nitrogen, total phosphorus, and lipoid and inorganic phosphorus have been 

 determined in the blood and plasma of cows and heifers of various ages on 

 various rations and at various stages of pregnancy and lactation. 



The calcium content of cow's plasma was found to be surprisingly constant, 

 the highest figure obtalnetl being 0.0114 per cent and the lowest, 0.00S6 per 

 cent. The results Indicate that the amount is not appreciably altered by 

 pregnancy, lactation, or considerable changes in diet. 



The total, lipoid, and inorganic phosphorus contents of normal plasma were 

 found to be extremely variable. The total phosphorus varied from 0.0085 to 

 0.0178 per cent ; the lipoid, from a little less than 0.002 to a little over 0.008 

 per cent ; and the inorganic, from about 0.004 to 0.008 per cent. In general 

 the variations of inorganic phosphorus appeared to depend to some extent on 

 the amount of grain fed. No tabulated data are submitted. 



The distribution of esterases in the animal body, Agnes E. Porter 

 {Biochcm. Jour., 10 {1916), No. 4, pp. 52S-533). — Fat- and wax-splitting fer- 

 ments were found to be widely distributed among the organs of man, ox, sheep, 

 goat, pig, cat, rabbit, and guinea pig. Butyrinase and lecithase were present 

 in all of the organs examined. Olein lipase was also commonly pre-^sent. but 

 often only as a mere trace. It appeared to be strongest in pig's pancreas but 

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