472 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.35 



The essential factors in a successful diet, E .V. McCollum (2V. Y. Med. 

 Jour., 103 {1916), No. 18, pp. 838, 839).— A summary and digest of data concern- 

 ing the role played in nutrition by the vitamins, especially the substances known 

 as fat-soluble A and water-soluble B, referred to in earlier work by the author. 



Vitamins and complementary food ingredients, Boruttau (Ber. Deut. 

 Pharm. OeselL, 25 {1915), No. 9, pp. 468-^86) .—The author discusses in this 

 article the important part played by the vitamins in the deficiency diseases 

 and the nutritional disorders of children. 



Vitamins and nutritional diseases. — A stable form of vitamin, efficient in 

 the prevention and cure of certain nutritional deficiency diseases, A. Seidell 

 {Pub. Health Rpts. [V. -S.], 31 {1916), No. 7, pp. 364-370, fig. 1).—A method 

 is herein described for " obtaining a relatively concentrated and comparatively 

 cheap form of vitamin suitable for studies on the prevention and cure of such 

 human nutritional deficiency diseases as beri-beri, pellagra, infantile malnutri- 

 tion, etc." 



The process consists essentially in absorbing the vitamin contained in auto- 

 lyzed yeast liquor by the selective action of colloidal hydrous aluminum silicate. 

 As shown by experiments, the product is an activated solid, small doses of 

 which exert both preventive and curative effects on pigeons receiving an ex- 

 clusive diet of polished rice. The activated material is " practically tasteless 

 and odorless, and aside from the vitamin which it contains is an absolutely 

 inert substance which would produce no noticeable effects on passage through 

 the body." It is estimated that 5 gm. of the activated solid per day, taken 

 either in capsules or as an aqueous suspension, would supply the human body 

 sufficient vitamin to prevent the occurrence of beri-beri. 



The author suggests that the procedure for yeast can be used with slight 

 modifications for estimating the vitamin content of various food products. 



Observations upon the growth of young chickens under laboratory condi- 

 tions, J. C. Deummond {Biochem. Jour., 10 {1916), No. 1, pp. 77-88, pi. 1, figs. 

 7). — Feeding experiments to determine the suitability of young chickens for 

 the laboratory study of human deficiency diseases are reported. The results 

 indicate that it is impossible, even by means of an adequate diet, to raise young 

 chicks under artificial laboratory conditions to a satisfactory degree of de- 

 velopment. 



The growth of rats upon artificial diets containing lactose, J. C. Dkum- 

 MOND {Biochem. Jour., 10 {1916), No. 1, pp. 89-102, figs. ^0).— Feeding experi- 

 ments with rats as laboratory animals are reported, from which the author 

 concludes as follows: 



" Lactose, prepared from milk, may contain traces of an impurity which acts 

 as a growth-promoting accessory substance. This substance is soluble in water 

 and alcohol, and is not destroyed by exposure to 100° for six hours. 



" Before complete growth can occur in a young animal, the diet, besides being 

 adequate as regards its proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and salts, must contain 

 both fat-soluble and water-soluble accessory subtances. No growth is possible 

 in the animals fed upon a purified diet which is entirely deficient in these 

 accessory substances." 



The action of Sardinian lactic acid on human metabolism, F. Fidanza 

 {Ann. Ig. Sper., n. ser., 25 {1915), No. 4, pp. 41 1-420) .—The data are reported 

 of a metabolism experiment of eight days' duration, in which a normal man 

 ingested large quantities of a Sardinian fermented milk called " gioddu." 



The author concludes that on an exclusive diet of gioddu and bread it is 

 possible to maintain the nitrogen equilibrium of the body for only a few days. 

 The diet did not cause diuresis nor noticeably modify the acidity of the urine. 

 The elimination of chlorids and phosphates was not affected, but the excretion 



