664 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



1293). — ^According to the author's summary, spices and condiments exercise a 

 psychic effect by increasing the pleasure of taldiig food. 



Certain of them, for instance pepper, salt, and bitter substances exercise an 

 effect upon the secretion of saliva and the gastric and intestinal juices. The 

 principal effect of onions, mustard, garlic, and related plants is found in the 

 influence they exercise on the intestinal flora; salt, pepper, and chocolate are 

 regarded as having an effect on intermediary metabolism, while coffee,, tea, 

 cocoa, alcohol, and vanilla exercise an effect upon the nervous system after 

 resorption. 



Lime in the dietary (Jour. Amer. Med. Assoc, 61 {1913), No. 3, p. 200). — 

 This article deals briefly with the losses of inorganic elements incurred by the 

 body in processes of metabolism, together with the variation in the lime 

 requirements of the organism under different conditions, such as periods of 

 growth, starvation, lactation, etc. The need of much research work upon this 

 subject is indicated. 



The importance of lecithin in the metabolism of adults, W. Ckonheim 

 (Ztschr. Phys. u. DUitet. Ther., 16 {1912), No. 5, pp. 262-272; al)s. in ZentU. 

 Expt. Med., 2 {1912), No. 16, p. 721). — The effect of diets poor and rich in 

 lecithin was studied. 



During the lecithin period nitrogen was better assimilated. The phosphorus 

 balance was in one case much increased and in the other only slightly so, while 

 the digestibility of fat was not affected. The author believes that taking 

 lecithin in not too great quantities is favorable to adults and that it helps to 

 make good any loss of nitrogen, since it induces better utilization of this 

 nutrient. 



The necessity of certain lipins in the diet during growth, E. V. McCollum 

 and Maegtjerite Davis {Jour. Biol. Chem., 15 {1913), No. 1, pp. 167-175, figs. 

 5). — A normal rate of growth was maintained for periods of from 70 to 120 

 days in the case of young rats which were fed upon diets consisting of pure 

 casein, pure carbohydrates, and salt mixtures made up of pure reagents. Al- 

 though this diet was imable to produce growth for a longer period, it main- 

 tained the animals in an apparently well nourished condition for several 

 weeks. Growth at about the normal rate was resumed when the ether extract 

 of butter or of egg was added to the ration. This was not the case, however, 

 when lard or olive oil was added without the ether extract. 



From the results of these experiments, which are to be continued, the authors 

 conclude that " these extracts contain some organic complex without which the 

 animals can not make further increase in body weight, but may maintain 

 themselves in a fairly good nutritive state for a prolonged period." 



Studies on beri-beri. — VII, Chemistry of the vitamin-fraction from yeast 

 and rice polishings, C. Funk {Jour. Physiol., J,6 {1913), No. 3, i)p. 173-179).-— 

 From the experimental data reported, the author draws the following conclu- 

 sions : 



"The vitamin-fraction from yeast has been separated into three substances: 

 A substance of the formula C.4H19O9N5, a substance of the formula C29H23O9NB, 

 and what appears to be nicotinic acid (m-pyridin-carboxylic acid). The first 

 substance mixed with nicotinic acid seems to be necessary for curing pigeons. 



" The vitamin-fraction from rice polishings has up to the present been sepa- 

 rated in two substances: One of the formula C2(3H2o09N4 and nicotinic acid. The 

 results concerning their curative power will be published after the chemical 

 Investigation of all the fractions has been completed." See also a previous note 

 (E. S. R.. 29, p. 463). 



Fasting studies. — XI, A note on the composition of muscle from fasting 

 dogs, H. C. BiDDLE and P. E. Howe {Biochem. Bui., 2 {1913), No. 7, pp. 386- 



