568 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Products of protein cleavage wMch produce fatigue, and their influence, 

 W. Weichardt and E. Schwenk {Hoppe-Seyler's Ztschr. Physiol. Chem., 88 

 (1913), No. 5, pp. 381-402; ais. in Jour. Chem. Soc. [London], lOIf (.1913), No. 

 606, I, pp. J^22, Ji23). — "From tbe muscle proteins, by means of electrolysis, 

 certain high molecular products were obtained which cause, wlien injected into 

 animals (mice) certain toxic symptoms, such as the signs of fatigue, slowing 

 of the respiration, and depression of the body temperature. 



" The effect of these keno-toxins, as they are termed, can be counteracted 

 by a number of substances of which the chemical composition Is known, for 

 instance, succinimid, glutarimid, phthalimid, piperidin, creatin, guanidin hydro- 

 chlorid, and others. The same effect is produced by a group of substances of 

 unknown composition which are spoken of as retardins; these can be extracted 

 by acetone from digested protein. Further work on the relationships between 

 ativity and chemical composition is promised." 



The preparation from animal tissues of a substance which cures poly- 

 neuritis in birds induced by diets of polished rice, I, Evelyn A. Coopee 

 (Biochem. Jour., 7 (1913), No. 3, i)p. 268-274) .—According to the author's sum- 

 mary of her investigations, a fraction rich in the autineuritic substance can be 

 precipitated from the fats and lipoids (alcoholic extracts) of various animal 

 tissues by means of ether. A method based on this observation is described 

 for isolating a substance from horseflesh, which, in small amounts, can cure 

 polyneuritis in pigeons. The properties of this substance are described. 



Some data regarding the effect of drugs on polyneuritis are also reported. 



The influence of nutrition on the amylase content of human saliva, C. L. 

 Evans (Biochem. Ztschr., 48 (1913), No. 6, pp. //32--U7; abs. in Jour. Chem. 

 Soc. [London], IO4 (1913), No. 606, I, pp. 4I8, 419).— In from 20 to 30 minutes 

 after a meal an increase was noted in the amylase content of the saliva. This 

 lasted from 2 to 3 hours, when it reached a maximum and then decreased, the 

 activity remaining small until the nest meal was taken. 



Mastication of the food without swallowing produced no effect on the amount 

 of amylase, and this was likewise the case when a meal containing only protein 

 was taken. The mechanism of the secretion was explained by the assumption 

 that the carbohydrates in the food acted on the mucous membrane of the 

 stomach, producing a " hormone " which stimulated the salivary glands. The 

 increase in the amylase content was ascribed principally to the saliva produced 

 by the parotid gland, which has about four times the enzymic activity of the 

 other glands and which furthermore produces about half the total volume of 

 the saliva. 



Notes on the chemistry of feces, L. Grimbert (Jour. Pharm. et CJiim., 7. 

 ser., 5 (1912), Nos. 9, pp. 450-456; 10, pp. 494-505) .—The author considers the 

 influence of different kinds of food on the general character of feces, the analy- 

 sis of feces, and the interpretation of analytical data. 



The absolute efficiency of the muscular contraction, A. V. Hill (Jour. 

 Physiol., 46 (1913), No. 2. pp. XII, XIII). — A number of factors are discussed 

 which should be considered in the determination of the maximum value of the 

 efl5ciency of a muscle in absolute units. 



Some effects of muscular exercise on women, Gladys Habtwell and Nora 

 Tweedy (Jour. Physiol., 46 (1913), No. 2, pp. IX-XI, figs. 2).— Observations 

 were made of the normal ventilation, pulse, and blood pressure of 54 subjects 

 while at rest and immediately after exercising actively for 45 seconds. The 

 pulse rate was recorded every 15 seconds after the exercise until it had returned 

 to normal. 



It was noted that the rate of return to normal was much more rapid in the 

 case of athletic than nonathletic women students. 



