1920] ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 169 



liiiiio solutions should hv so iiioditicd as ((» excludi' undesirable fermentations, 

 and the same care and cleaniiiu'ss should he used in tlie handling of olives as 

 of any other perishahle food product. 



IJotulisni, E. C. Dickson, G. S. Burke, and E. S. Ward {Arch. Inst. Med., 24 

 (1919), No. 6, pp. 581-599). — The investigation reported consists of experiments 

 to test the resistance of spores of Bacillus botulinus to various sterilizing 

 agencies including heat, dihite acids (lemon juice), and sugar, and tests of 

 various methods of canning vegetables and fruits which had been inoculated 

 with spores of B. botulinus. 



The results of the experiments on the effect of heat upon the spores, as re- 

 ported by Burke, have been previously noted from another source (E. S. R., 

 40, p. 558). Lemon juice in the concentration recommended by Cruess for 

 canning vegetables (E. S. R., 36, p. 509) did not prevent the growth of the 

 organism nor the development of toxin in the beef broth used as the culture 

 medium. The amount of toxin was, however, considerably less than that in 

 the conti'ol broth. The addition of lemon juice in varying concentrations to the 

 sjKtres of B. botulinus in brain medium lowered the thermal death point of 

 the spores to a degree dependent on the concentration of the lemon juice, the 

 temperature, and the length of the exposure. The Cruess method of canning 

 vegetables with lemon juice, and the fractional method of sterilization described 

 by Breazeale (E. R. S., 21, p. 278) both proved efficient iu destroying the spores 

 of B. botulinus with which the raw vegetables had been contaminated. The 

 one-period cold-pack method described by Benson (E. S. R., 38, p. 12) proved 

 inefficient under similar conditions. 



Cane sugar in concentration up to 64 per cent did not prevent the growth of 

 B. botulinus or the formation of its toxin in beef broth, although the toxin 

 formation was inhibited to a certain extent. Apricots, peaches, and pears 

 camu'd in sugar were found to be suitable mediums for the growth of B. 

 botulinus and the development of its toxin. The one-period cold-pack metliod 

 applied to peaches and prunes with or without sugar was found to be ineffi- 

 cient in killing the spores of B. botulinus with which the fruit had been inocu- 

 lated, although the presence of the toxin iu the product could not be deter- 

 mined in the usual way. 



The significance of these results is discussed, and the conclusion is drawn 

 that " even though the number of cases of poisoning caused by the ingestion of 

 canned goods is small, they should not be disregarded. In view of the wide 

 distribution of B. botulinus throughout the country it is important that the 

 pos.sibility of raw material being contaminated should always be borne in mind. 

 and investigation should be undertaken to iierfect methods of canning which 

 will be efficient in destroying this resistant organism. Until this is done it will 

 be necessary to instruct the public of the possible danger from existing methods 

 of canning, and to' urge that all canned food whieli shows the slightest sign 

 of spoilage should be discarded." 



ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 



Conrerning; the causal factor in tlie Iiatrhing of the chick, with particu- 

 lar reference to the iiiusculus coiiiplexiis, A. G. I'ohlman (Anat. lice, 17 

 U919), No. 2, pp. 89-lOJi, figs. 1). — In a series of chicks ranging in age from the 

 nineteenth day of incubation to the eighth day after hatching, the author re- 

 jiorts the weights of the complexus muscle of the upper neck in both the fresh and 

 dried states. Tlie contraction of this nniscle extends the head and according to F. 

 Keibol, whose brief note^ is presented in translation by the author, (he muscle 



k 



lAnat. Anz., 41 (IQlli). No. 13, pp. 381, 382. 



