764 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



Modern reforms in nutrition, M. Rubneb (Arch. Eyg., 81 (1913), No. /f-5, 

 pp. 179-259). — The author reviews modern theories of diet, especially those of 

 Chittenden and Hindhede, which point to a lowered protein standard, and gives 

 the reasons for his own belief that in general the Voit standard is the safest 

 for general use. 



Diseases due to deficiencies in diet, F. G. Hopkins (Lancet [London'\, 191S, 

 II, No. 19, pp. 1309, 1310).— In this address before the Section of Therapeutics 

 and Pharmacology of the Royal Society of Medicine, October 21, 191.3, the work 

 of Funk, Hoist, and others is discussed, along with the general subject of the 

 relation of deficiencies in diet to such diseases as beri-beri, scurvy, infantile 

 scurvy, and pellagra. 



In conclusion reference is made to the author's work with rats infected by 

 sarcoma artificially produced, one group being fed upon bread and milk and the 

 other upon an artificial diet. " In the absence from diet of the substances 

 which promote the growth of normal tissue the sarcoma grew at only one-fourth 

 of its normal rate. Such a result has perhaps no more than an academic im- 

 portance, but it shows that a neoplasm, like a normal tissue, requires lor its 

 growth certain at present unknown substances, which it acquires less readily 

 from the tissues than from the food supply of its host." 



Nitrogen metabolism during chronic underfeeding and subsequent reali- 

 nientation, S. Morgulis {Biochem. Bui., 3 {1913), No. 9, pp. IJf, 75).— This 

 article is a preliminary note on some of the results obtained from experiments 

 with a dog which was subjected to severe underfeeding for many weeks and 

 then put on a rich d-iet. 



The urines were tested with litmus daily. On the third day after the return 

 to the full diet the urine became thoroughly alkaline but remained so for a few 

 days only. The alkalinity appeared to be due to an excess of ammonium car- 

 bonate, and the author suggests that " the great influx of phosphates and acid 

 cleavage products of the protein digestion, coupled with a generally impaired 

 condition of the liver and of the whole organism, for that matter, resulted in a 

 rapid elimination of ammonium carbonate before its transformation into urea." 



The general physiological transformation of the animal will be discussed in 

 detail in a later publication. 



Contribution to the study of nitrogen metabolism — new methods for the 

 determination of urea, ammonia, and amino acids, L. Lematte {Bui. Sci. 

 Pharmacol, 20 {1913), Nos. 10, pp. 577-584; 11, pp. 6^7-659).— In addition to 

 a description of original methods for the determination of the above-mentioned 

 metabolic products by means of phosphotungstic acid, magnesium chlorid. and 

 hypobromid of sodium, the author states the generally received theories of 

 nitrogen metabolism. 



Fasting studies. — XII, The ammonia, phosphate, chlorid, and acid excre- 

 tion of a fasting man, D. W. Wilson and P. B. Hawk {Jour. Anier. Ghem. 

 Soc, 36 {1914), No. 1, pp. 137-146, fig. i).— During a preliminary period of 4 

 days' duration the subject was given a diet supplying 21.86 gm. of nitrogen. 

 This was followed by a fasting period of 7 days' duration, 1,500 cc. of water 

 being taken per day. A low-proteid period of 4 days' duration followed the fast- 

 ing period, the daily intake of nitrogen being about 5.23 gm. and the energy 

 value of the diet, 1,800 calories. A final period of 5 days' duration on a high- 

 proteid diet followed, the daily food being increased to the amount eaten dur- 

 ing the preliminary period. 



The acidity of the urine increased during the fasting period, decreased during 

 the low-proteid period, and in the high-proteid period returned very nearly to 

 the average value noted in the preliminary period. Phosphoric acid excretion 

 decreased in the fasting period, increased somewhat in the low-proteid period, 



