1010] ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 861 



scm*vy. The juice of beet roots failed to prevent scurvy in the largest dose 

 (20 cc.) that could be administered, 



For purposes of conipai'ison a table is given sliowin;:^ the relative antiscor- 

 butic properties of tlie above-mentioned juices and of cooked potato, fresh 

 raw cal)bag(» leaves, fresh oi'ange juice, and fresh grapes. The juice of grapes 

 was found to have a value of only about one-tenth that of oranges. 



A note on the value of germinated beans in tlie treatment of scurvy, and 

 some points in prophylaxis, H. W. Wiltshire (Lancet [London], 1918, II, No. 

 2.'f, pp. 811-81.3). — The author confirms the conclusions of Chick and Hume 

 (E. S. R., 40, p. 868) as to the antiscorbutic value of germinated seeds, by 

 reports of the successful nse of germinated haricot beans in the treatment of 

 scurvy in the Serbian army in 1917. The amount of antiscorbutic vitamin de- 

 veloped in the beans upon germination is thought to be equal to, if not greater 

 than, that contained in fresh lemon juice. Even if no allowance be made for 

 the food value of the beans, the cost of vitamins supplied by them is estimated 

 at only 60 per cent of the cost when supplied by lemons. 



Beer and scurvy, A. H. Smith (Lancet [London], 1918, II, No. 21f, pp. 813- 

 815). — Conflicting reports from the literature of the value of beer in the pre- 

 vention of scurvy are recorded briefly, and the explanation is advanced that 

 the difference in results is due to the process of malting. With the elaboration 

 and perfection of the malting and brewing processes the antiscorbutic vitamin, 

 which was probably present in the earlier beers, having its source in the 

 germinated grains, has been practically eliminated. 



A historical inquiry into the efficacy of lime juice for the prevention and 

 cure of scurvy, A. H. Smith (.Jour. Roy. Army Med. Corps, 32 (1919), Nos. 2, 

 pp. 93-116; 3, pp. 188-208, fig. i).— This is a more detailed report of the his- 

 torical inquiry notetl above. 



The antiscorbutic properties of raw lean beef, R. A. Dutcher, E. M. Piek- 

 soN, and A. Biesteik (Science, n. ser., 50 (1919), No. 1286, pp. 184, 185). — A pre- 

 liminary report is given of feeding experiments with guinea pigs which indi- 

 cate that raw lean beef does not possess antiscorbutic properties. 



ANIMAL PKODUCTIOU. 



Mitosis and amitosis, E. G. Conklin (Biol. Bui. Mar. Biol. Lab. y/oods Hole, 

 33 (1917), No. 6, pp. 396-/(36, pis. iO').— This is a discussion of purported cases 

 of amitotic cell division to be found in the literature of cytology, supplemented 

 by a study of the cleavage of the egg of the mollusk Crepidula plana. The 

 author's point of view may be seen from the following statements : 



" The modern revival of interest in amitosis is due to a reaction against the 

 chromosome theory [of heredity]. If nuclear and cell divisions ever take place 

 by amitosis in normally developing sex cells and embryonic cells it would deal 

 a fatal blow to that theory. The occurrence of amitosis in fully differentiated 

 tissue cells or in cells which do not undergo division would not affect the 

 chromosome theory. . . . There is not a single wholly conclusive case in 

 which amitosis has been shown to occur in the division of normally dil'fer- 

 entiating cells. Therefore the attempts to disprove the chromosome theory in 

 this way have failed." 



Four types of modified mitosis which resemble amitosis are described. 



Studies on cytolysins. — I, Some prenatal effects of lens antibodies, M. F. 

 CuYER and E. A. Smith (Jour. Expt. Zool., 26 (1918), No. 1, pp. 65-82).— Preg- 

 nant rabbits, injected with serum from chickens sensitized by previous in- 

 jections of a suspension of rabbit crystalline lenses, and pregnant deer mice 

 of the genus I'eroinyscus, injected with fowl serum similarly sensitized to the 



