116 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol. 41 



Colorimetric determination of the nonprotein nitrogen of the blood by 

 Nessler's reagent, A. Geigaut and F. Gu^ein {Compt. Rend. 8oc. Biol. [Paris], 

 81 {1918} , No. 22, pp. 1139-1142).— The method employed is essentially that of 

 Folin and Denis (E. S. R., 36, p. 316). Trichloracetic acid is used iu place of 

 metaphosphoric acid as the protein precipitant. The preparation of the reagents 

 employed is described in detail. 



A precise method for the determination of small quantities of urea in 

 blood, A. Geigaut and F. Gu^ein (Compt. Rend. Sac. Biol. [Parisl, 82 (1919), 

 No. 1, pp. 25-27). — The process described is one of direct nesslerization, but is 

 said to differ from that of Folin and Denis (E. S. R., 36, p. 317) by a more ener- 

 getic action of the urease, a more simple and rapid process of clarification, and 

 the use of a more concentrated Nessler's reagent. The urease preparation con- 

 sists of a suspension of 1 gm. soy bean flour and 0.4 gm. acid sodium phosphate 

 in 100 cc. of distilled water. Trichloracetic acid is used as the precipitating 

 agent. The reagents are prepared as described in the article noted above. 



Procedure for the volumetric micro determination of lipoids, I. Bang (Bio- 

 chem. Ztschr., 91 (1918), No. 1-^2, pp. 86-103).— A method of determining fats 

 and other lipoids is described which depends upon the fact that such sub- 

 stances reduce chromic acid quantitatively. The excess chromic acid is de- 

 termined by titration with thiosulphate after addition of potassium iodid. The 

 paper discusses with accompanying data the application of the method to the 

 determination of fats and soaps, cholesterins, cholesterin esters, and phos- 

 phatids. 



To determine cholesterin in the presence of fat, use is made of the fact that 

 on the addition of a digitonin solution cholesterin digitonid is formed, which is 

 insoluble in petroleum ether and can be separated from the fat which re- 

 mains in solution. Cholesterin esters can be separated from neutral fats or 

 phosphatids through the gi'eater resistance of the former to hydrolysis and the 

 insolubility in petroleum ether of the soaps formed by the hydrolysis of the 

 fats. A similar method is used to separate cholesterin esters from phosphatids. 



The micro determination of blood lipoids, I. Bang (Biochan. Ztschr., 91 

 (1918), No. 3-4, pp. 235-256). — This paper discusses in detail the application of 

 the method noted above to the determination of the blood lipoids, including 

 neutral fats, cholesterin, cholesterin esters, and phosphatids. The method is 

 said to give very accurate results for total lipoids, neutral fat, and cholesterin, 

 but not so exact results for cholesterin esters, and phosphatids. 



The evaporation of vegetables, W. V. Ceuess (Mo. Bui. Cat. State Com. 

 Hort., 8 (1919), No. 3, pp. 93-100, figs. 8).— This is a general article on the sub- 

 ject, including a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of evaporated 

 vegetables ; descriptions of types of evaporators for industrial production, for 

 community operation, and for home use; and directions for the preparation of 

 vegetables for evaporation, temperature and air control during the process, 

 and packing and storing of the dried vegetables. 



The sun drying of vegetables, G. L. C. Howaed (Fruit Ex jit. Sta. Quetta 

 [India] Bui. 8 (1918), pp. 20, fig. 1).— This bulletin, which presents the results 

 of an investigation of methods for the sun drying of vegetables in the arid cli- 

 mate of Quetta, India, contains information of general interest in connection 

 with the dehydration of vegetables. The main principles of successful drying 

 are considered to be rapidity of diying, and treatment of the fresh material by 

 some form of heat, upon which depends the toughness or tenderness of the 

 resulting product. 



General directions are given for the preparation of the material, for the 

 heating processes of steeping, scalding, or steaming, tor drying, and for storage 



