1919] ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 471 



The time of appearance of the antiscorbutic substance in germinating, 

 barley and the harmful effect on guinea pigs of barley in different, stages of 

 germination, E. Weill and G. Mouriquand {Compt..Rcn(L Soc. Biol. IP'iris},^ \ 

 82 {1919), No. 5, pp. IS^-'lSe) .—The authors by feeding guinea pigs with barley ; 

 in different stages of germination have confirmed the conckisions lireviQW'ly: . 

 noted (E. S. R., 40, p. 5G5) that barley, after three days' sprouting, does not 

 possess antiscorbutic properties, but on the contrary causes a more acute form 

 of scurvy, although appearing later. . . ' ., r 



The first appearance of the antiscorbutic pi-oporty was after fivQ days' genni- ^ 

 nation. Guinea pigs fed on barley which had germinated for five d.ays or longer 

 did not develop scorbutic symptoms, but frequently succumbed after varying 

 intervals of time to what appeared to be an acute intoxication. .When the feed 

 consisted of a mixture of 40 gm. of barley germinated for three days and 20 gm. 

 of the green or white growth of 10 days' germhiation no symptoms of scuiw-y 

 or acute poisoning appeared, each substance apparently neutralizing the ha.i'm- 

 ful effect of the other. . . 



Changes in the teeth of the guinea pig produced by a scorbutic diet, S. S. 

 Zn.vA and F. M. Weli^s (Proc. Roy. Soc. \_Loudo)i], Set: B, 9.0 (1919), No. B 633 

 pp. 505-512, pi. 1). — ^To study the effect of a scorbutic diet on the teeth, mi-. , 

 croscopical examination was made of sections of decalcified teeth of guinea 

 pigs in normal condition and in various stages of scurvy. 



Two important features disclosed by these experiments ar.e that the tooth- ' 

 is one of the first, if not the first, part of the system to be affected by a de- - 

 ficiency of antiscorbutic material, and that changes of a profound nature 

 occur in the teeth even when scorbutic symptoms during life are so slight as 

 to be almost unrecognizable. The degeneration appears to be complete piilpar 

 fibrosis, the fine cellular connective tissue of the normal tooth being replaced 

 by a fibrous structure devoid of cells, nuclei, etc. Similar radical changes in 

 the teeth have also been noted in monkeys on a scoi-butic diet. ■ 



In discussing the application of these results to human nutrition, the authors 

 suggest the possibility that dietary deficiency is an important factor in- the 

 gi-eat prevalence of tooth decay in civilized communities. They point out that . 

 cases of scur\T so mild as to escape detection may occur more often than is 

 usually suspected and may reasonably be expected to influence dentition. . . 



The effect of diet on the healing of wounds, A. H. Clakk {Bui. Johns Hopr • 

 kins Hosp., 30 {1919), No. 339; pp. 117-120, figs. 5).— The effect of diet on 

 wound healing was studied by producing artificial wounds in dogs on specific . 

 diets and observing the rate of healing of the wound. 



The length of the initial quiescent period of wound healing was found to be... 

 affected by the diet, varying from zero in dogs fed on protein, 3 days on cai'bo- '. 

 hydrate and 4 days on mixed diet to 6 days on fat. This varijition was more 

 marked in smaller wounds. The subsequent periods of contraction, epidermiza^ 

 tion, and cicatrization were apparently not affected by the diet. 



In conclusion the author points out that the results obtained confii-m the . 

 suggestion of Benedict and Carpenter (E. S. R., 40, p. 270) that proteins have 

 a specific influence in stimulating the whole cellular systera to greater 

 activity. 



ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 



Cattle feeding on pasture, W. A. Cochel (Breeder's Gaz., 76 {1919); No. 8, 

 pp. 307, 308, fig. 1). — This is an outline of the methods of beef prbduction on 

 pasture lands, with a brief note on the distribution of common grasses in the 

 grazing areas of the United States. 

 140363°— 19 6 



