64 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



Control experiments were carried out at the same time with pigeons and 

 animals, under the same conditions, and gave similar results. In these experi- 

 ments evidence was found which pointed to a great destruction of albumin, 

 which the authors claim could only be explained as the result of severe intoxi- 

 cation. This they claim is confirmed by experiments in which birds were main- 

 tained in good health for several mouths upon a diet consisting of hen's eggs, 

 with small amounts of salt and sugar. When polished rice was added to the 

 egg diet in the case of a part of the pigeons, every one of those receiving the 

 polished rice developed symptoms of beri-beri, while the control animals which 

 received only the egg diet developed no such symptoms. 



The authors conclude from these results that beri-beri is not due to the lack 

 of some substance in the diet, but to the presence of some toxic substance, and 

 is therefore an intoxication. The beneficial results obtained by the use of pur- 

 gatives by other authors in an experimental study of beri-beri are in accord 

 with this view. 



A typhoid outbreak apparently due to polluted water cress {Engin. Neivs, 

 10 {1913), No. 7, p. 322, fig. 1). — A report of an epidemic of typhoid fever 

 which was apparently caused by eating polluted water cress is given. 



Lessons from a probable water cress typhoid outbreak {Engin. News, 10 

 {1913), No. 1, PV' 311, 312). — The necessity for greater care to prevent the 

 contamination of vegetable foods which are to be eaten in an uncooked condition 

 is emphasized. See abstract above. 



The relation of growth to the chemical constituents of the diet, T. B. 

 Osborne and L. B. Mendel {Jour. Biol. Chem., 15 {1913), No. 2, pp. 311-326, 

 figs. 7). — Experiments are reported in continuation of previous work (E. S. R., 

 25. p. 864; 28, pp. 863, 864). 



Animals fed upon a diet of purified protein, starch, lard, and protein-free 

 milk, which had grown abnormally for some time and then ceased to grow and 

 declined, were restored to a satisfactory condition of growth by the use of milk 

 or by replacing a part of the lard in the diet with unsalted butter. The work 

 is to be continued. 



Studies on the metabolism of ammonium salts, I, II, III {Jour. Biol. 

 Chem., 15 {1913), No. 2, pp. 321-335, 331-339, 3Jfl-355) .—This includes 3 papers. 



I. The elimination of ingested ammonium salts in the dog upon an adequate 

 mixed diet, F. P. Underbill (pp. 327-335). — It was found in these experiments 

 that the ingestion of the ammonium salts of several organic acids failed to 

 increase the amount of ammonia nitrogen excreted in the urine, while under 

 comparable conditions the ingestion of the ammonium salts of several inor- 

 ganic acids caused an increase in the output of ammonia nitrogen, which varied 

 with the different acids. No explanation is given for this temporary retention 

 of the ammonium salts. All of the inorganic ammonium salts tested and some 

 of the organic ammonium salts caused an increase of the total nitrogen excre- 

 tion above the normal and temporarily stimulated nitrogen catabolism. Sodium 

 chlorid caused a lowering of the amount of ammonia nitrogen eliminated. 



II. A note on the elimination of ingested ammonium salts during a period of 

 prolonged inanition, F. P. Underbill (pp. 337-339). — The ingestion of ammonium 

 carbonate by a starving animal failed to cause any increase in the urinary 

 excretion of ammonia nitrogen. Ammonium chlorid, however, caused a distinct 

 increase in the output of ammonia nitrogen as well as of total nitrogen. The 

 output of both ammonia nitrogen and total nitrogen remained for some time 

 at a high level. 



III. The utilization of ammonium salts icith a nonnitrogenous diet, F. P. 

 Underbill and S. Goldschmidt (pp. 341-355). — In the case of dogs maintained 

 upon a nonnitrogenous diet of high energy value the ingestion of ammonium 



