1917] FOODS HUMAN NUTRITION. 571 



What to eat in war time, G. Lusk {World's Work, S4 {1917), No. J,, pp. 446- 

 452). — A more or less popular statement of the food needs of the body, together 

 with information regarding food costs and some plans adopted to meet the 

 shortage of food in Europe. 



Food economy in war time, T. B. Wood and F. G. Hopkins {London: Cam- 

 bridge University Press, 1916. pp. 35). — This bulletin deals with the uses of 

 food, food values, and food costs. 



Food values and the rationing of a country, R. Smith {London: Author, 

 [1917], 2. ed., rev., pp. 19). — This publication considers the question of food 

 supply and food regulation in the light of war conditions. Tables are included 

 which show the composition of different foods and various so-called standard 

 diets. 



The restricted supply of food: Its relation to health and eflBciency, M. S. 

 Pembkey {Brit. Med. Jour., No. 2941, Epit. {1917), pp. 605-607).— A summary 

 and digest of data relative to the food requirements and standard diets, together 

 with suggestions regarding the regulation of the food supply. 



Contribution to the study of incomplete diets. — Researches on the gaseous 

 exchange of subjects receiving a rice diet, P. Ramoino {Arch. Ital. Biol., 65 

 {1916), No. 1, pp. 1-16). — Present-day theories regarding the etiology of poly- 

 neuritis are given and accounts of experiments made by the author are reportefl 

 in detail. Four pigeons were fed upon a rice diet, and observations were made 

 of the daily weight, the hourly consumption of oxygen per 100 gm., and the 

 hourly production of carbon dioxid per 100 gm., as well as the respiratory 

 quotient. 



In general, it was found that pigeons maintained on the diet of polished rice 

 died ; this being in agreement with the results of other workers. The adminis- 

 tration of the polishings or the extracts of rice bran served to retard or even 

 to prevent the appearance of the symptoms, and this substance was active even 

 in extremely small quantities. Discontinuing this administration caused a re- 

 duction of weight and the appearance, after a short interval, of the symptoms. 



The study of the respiratory exchange showed in a like manner a progressive 

 and rapid lowering of the respiratory quotient in passing from a diet rich in 

 vitamins to a diet deprived of them. This lowering was due to the fact that the 

 quantity of oxygen consumed did not follow a descending curve parallel to that 

 of the carbon dioxid emitted. 



The value of the respiratory quotient increased promptly to normal when 

 the polishings were administered. After the administration of the polishings 

 was discontinued the quotient again fell to an extremely low point. 



The physiological behavior of raffinose, S. Kuriyama and L. B. Mendel 

 {Jour. Biol. Chem., 31 {1917), No. 1, pp. 125-147, fig. 1).— From experiments 

 with laboratory animals (rabbits and dogs) which are reported, the following 

 conclusions in part were drawn : 



Human saliva and the bile, pancreas, liver, and intestinal mucous membranes 

 of laboratory animals did not contain raffinase. Under suitable conditions the 

 gastric juice may invert rafhnose. When raffinase and raffinose were injected 

 successively into the circulation, the sugar was no better utilized than when it 

 was injected alone. 



" No noteworthy glycogen formation in the liver was found after feeding 

 raffinose to fasting white rats. The sugar was scarcely inverted in the stomach 

 and small intestine. It was, however, changed in the large intestine. 



" When raffinose was administered directly into loops of the small intestine 

 of [fasting] dogs, most of it was recovered after two hours without evidence 

 of its inversion. In a loop of the large intestine, however, raffinose was easily 



