462 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



Nutrition and metabolism of an infant fed on artificial food, E. Hellesen 

 (Nord. Med. Arch., Inn. Med., 48 {1915), No. 3-4, [pp. 1-121]; abs. in Jour. 

 Amer. Med. Assoc, 65 {1915), No. 6, p. 566). — This paper records the results of 

 an extensive study of the metabolism of a healthy infant five months old. 



The data reported confirm the view that carbohydrates spare the carbon and 

 nitrogen reserves better than fat, and that carbohydrate food directly affects 

 the mineral metabolism, especially that of sodium. The conclusion is dravni 

 that carbohydrates and fats, therefore, can not substitute each other indis- 

 criminately — that each has its specific action in metabolism as a whole, and 

 that this is an important factor in regulating their use as food. 



A standard dietary for an orphanage, Adele S. Jaffa ( [Sacramento, Cal.] : 

 State Printing Office, 1915, 2. ed., p. 37). — The earlier edition of this bulletin 

 has been noted (E. S. R., 33, p. 365). 



The relation of heat to summer diarrheas of infants, A. Bleyeb {Jour. 

 Amer. Med. Assoc, 65 {1915), No. 25, pp. 2161-2163, figs. 4).— Clinical observa- 

 tions are reported of 222 infants who had developed acute attack.s of diarrhea. 

 A direct relation was found to exist between the degree of temperature and 

 the disease, " over half (51.4 per cent) of the babies becoming ill on days when 

 the temperature was 90, although there were but 31 per cent of such days in 

 the two summers. 



" The observations were made among babies of the poor, among whom 

 diarrheas in summer are very prone to occur. Most of them were rationally 

 fed, usually on some mixture of certified milk when breast milk was not avail- 

 able. It was especially iutere.sting to find that 30 of them (13 per cent) were 

 exclusively breast-fed, and that 22 more were partially breast-fed, which is 

 evidence that heat may very well influence the baby who Is taking clean food." 



It was found that the majority of babies were overburdened with clothing 

 and suffered from lack of cleanliness. 



Recent contributions to the knowledge of beri-beri, H. Schaumann {Arch. 

 Schiffs u. Tropcn Hyg., 19 {1915), Nos. 15. pp. 393-418; 16, pp. 42.5-445).— Recent 

 Investigations of various phases of the beri-berl question are summarized In this 

 paper. An extended bibliography Is appended. 



Beri-beri in the Amazon basin, A. M. Waxcott {Jour. Amer. Med. Assoc, 65 

 {1915), No. 25, pp. 21'i5-214'i). — This paper reports data regarding the occur- 

 rence and dietetic treatment of beri-beri in Brazil. The conclusion is drawn 

 that beri-beri in Brazil is the same as that found elsewhere and is caused by 

 the lack of some essential element In the food. It has been treated successfully 

 by so modifying the diet as to Increase the amounts of meat, eggs, milk, legumes, 

 and fresh fruits. 



Studies in diabetes. — I, Theory of diabetes, with consideration of the 

 probable mechanism of antiketogenesis and the cause of acidosis, A. I. Ringeb 

 {Jour. Biol. Chcm., 17 {1914), No. 2, pp. 107-119).— The author discusses in this 

 article the theory of antiketogenesis. Structural formula? form a part of the 

 summary and digest of data, and equations are given to show how the addition 

 of glucose to a restricted carbohydrate diet, as In starvation or a fat-protein 

 diet, prevents the formation of incompletely oxidized end products, the presence 

 of which Is taken to denote acidosis. 



He concludes that the means by which carbohydrates are able to minimize 

 an existing acidosis and to prevent Its formation In normal individuals Is 

 a chemical reaction by which incompletely oxidized end products, such ns 

 /3-hydroxybutyrIc acid, etc., combine with glucose to give glucosids instead of 

 ketone bodies. The immediate cause of acidosis, therefore, may be due to the 

 absence of glucose and consequently to the failure of the individual to accom- 

 plish this glucosid union. 



