168 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



of peptic digestion. At the end of nine months the acidity was sufficient for the 

 action of pepsin. 



Influence of fat and carbohydrate during protein starvation on the ex- 

 cretion of neutral sulphur in the urine, H. Zellek and H. Straczewski (Arch. 

 Anat. u. Physiol., Physiol. Abt., No. 5-6, (191Jf), pp. 585-594,' o^^- fn Zentbl. 

 Physiol., 30 (1915), No. 2, p. 96). — Metabolism experiments with men and dogs 

 showed that the substitution of tlie carbohydrate of a protein-free diet by fat 

 leads to an increase in the excretion of botli nitrogen and neutral sulphur in 

 the urine. 



The syTithesis of cholesterin, S. Dezani and F. Cattoretti (Arch. Farmacol. 

 Sper. e Sci. Aff., 19 (1915), No. 1, pp. 1-9; abs. in Zentbl. Physiol, 30 (1915), 

 No. 5, pp. 225, 226). — Feeding experiments here reported showed that laboratory 

 animals (white mice) when fed on a ration free from lipoids, pliytosterin, and 

 cholesterin could synthesize cholesterin. 



Adiabatic device for bomb calorimeter, J. A^ Fries (Pennsylvania Sta. Rpt. 

 1912, pp. 793-801, figs. 1). — The equipment described, evolved in experiments in 

 cooperation with the Pennsylvania Institute of Animal Nutrition and the 

 Bureau of Animal Industry of this Department, is applicable to any bomb 

 calorimeter of the Atwater-Berthelot type, and in principle is the same as that 

 used in the Atwater-Rosa respiration calorimeter. Experimental data are given 

 showing the efficiency of the apparatus. 



ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 



Distribution and digestibility of the pentosans of feeds, G. S. Fbaps ( Texas 

 Sta. Bid. 175 (1915), pp. 5-24). — In tliese experiments the samples used were 

 the feeds and excrements from tlie digestion experiments previously reported 

 (E. S. R., 27, p. 668). 



It was found that legumes contain a niucli lower percentage of pentosans than 

 nonlegumes. Approximately 28 per cent of the pentosans of nonlegumes is in 

 the crude fiber, 44.5 per cent is dissolved by fiftieth-normal acid and alkali, 2.2 

 per cent is dissolved by 1.25 per cent sulphuric acid, and 26.7 per -cent, by 1.25 

 per cent alkali. On an average 18.8 per cent of the pentosans of nonlegumes are 

 in the crude fiber, 24.8 per cent dissolved by fiftieth-normal acid and alkali, 26.9 

 per cent dissolved by 1.25 per cent sulphuric acid, and 29.5 per cent dsisolved by 

 1.25 per cent alkali. 



" The total pentosans of the legumes were on an average digested better than 

 the pentosans of nonlegumes, though there were several nonlegumes fully up to 

 the average for legumes. The pentosans soluble in fiftieth-normal acid and 

 alkali are digested to a greater extent than the remaining pentosans. Those of 

 legumes are on an average considerably more digestible than those of non- 

 legumes. Pentosans in crude fiber are apparently digested to a greater extent 

 than those soluble in 1.25 per cent sulphuric acid or 1.25 per cent caustic soda. 

 This may be due to digestive processes rendering crude fiber more soluble in acid 

 or alkali, and thus throwing a portion of it into the nitrogen-free extract group. 

 Pentosans are destroyed by digestion with hot fiftieth-normal acid or alkali, or 

 stronger solutions. The alkali is somewhat more destructive than the acid, but 

 the losses are nearly the same with the stronger or weaker reagent, being about 

 10 per cent. The ' pentosans ' which are destroyed by boiling with acid or alkali 

 may be the same substances (furaloids) which give rise to the substances in the 

 hydrochloric acid distillate, which are destroyed by a redistillation." 



Feeding stuffs inspection and analysis, 1915, B. E. Cukky and T. O. Smith 

 (New Hampshire Sta. Bui. 175 (1915), pp. 23). — Analyses are given of the 

 following feeding stuffs : Bran, middlings, red dog flour, wheat screenings, cotton- 



