FOODS — HUMAN NUTRITION. 861 



the absorption of native protein brings about no disturbance to the young 

 organism, but rather supplies it with ready-made food material, and may thus 

 act as a stimulus to development. . . . 



"The investigation of the biological properties of milk carried out in this 

 report shows that the weight of evidence suggests the absence of any direct 

 value in the biological substances, per se, but it also most decidedly shows the 

 paramount importance of providing breast milk for the young animal. It 

 would seem impossible to emphasize this fact too strongly, and all those con- 

 cerned in the health of infants should aim at obtaining satisfactory breast 

 feeding for all infants during, at any rate, the early weeks of life." 



A note on the relation of different milks to infantile scurvy and bcrl-berl is 

 appended, as is also an extensive bibliography. 



Present knowledge regarding- the putrefaction of butcher's meat, E. Gui- 

 MALDi (Mod.. Zooiatro, Parte ScL, No. 11 (1913), pp. Jf60-Jf7[)). — A summary of 

 recent studies and theories concerning putrefied meats and the danger of using 

 them for food. The importance of more careful inspection of all meat is urged 

 on the ground that many forms of dangerous putrefaction are not recognizable 

 by the senses. 



The nitrog-en content of mince-meat, C. A. A. Utt (Amer. Food Jour., 8 

 (1913), No. 11, pp. Jf6If, Jf65). — On the basis of analyses of mince-meats made in 

 the laboratory of the Kansas state food analyst, the author discusses the present 

 federal definition of mince-meat and the recipes in common use, and suggests 

 that the standard be so modified that instead of " not less than 10 per cent of 

 cooked, comminuted meat ", the requirement read " meat present in sufficient 

 quantity so that the total nitrogen of the mince-meat is not less than 0.50 per 

 cent ", this nitrogen being the equivalent of about 5 per cent of meat. 



Meat extracts, A. McGill (Lab. Inland Rev. Dept. Canada Bui.. 267 (1913), 

 pp. 23). — Reports of analyses of 80 samples of meat extract purchased in the 

 open market in Canada during February and March, 1912, are here given. Of 

 these, 12 were classified as solid meat extracts, 25 as normal meat extracts, 42 

 as fluid meat extracts, and 1 as meat juice. 



Notes on the history of preserving fish, T. A. L. Beel (Ztschr. Fleisch u. 

 Milch-hug.. 2.'t (1913), No. 6, pp. 129-133, figs. 3).— A descriptive article dealing 

 with the herring industry. 



Conserving the nitrogenous material in dried codfish (Gadus brandtii), 

 K. YosHiMURA and M. Kanai (Hoppe-Seyler's Ztschr. Physiol. Chem., 88 (1913), 

 No. 5, pp. 346-351). — The nitrogenous constituents identified included 13 gm. 

 taurin, 1.4 gm. creatinin, and less than a gram of betain, methylguanidin, and 

 alanin per kilogram of dry material, A little glutaminic acid was found but no 

 creatin or cholin. 



Investigation of reprocessed canned salmon — possible danger from its use 

 as a food (Amer. Food Jour., 8 (1913), No. 11, p. 462).— This note from the 

 laboratory of the state chemist of Washington deals with a type of canned 

 salmon known to the trade as " do-overs." Cans processed as usual which, 

 after a few days, show signs of swelling are frequently disposed of to brokers 

 who puncture and reprocess them and sell the material so treated under labels 

 which give no indication of their origin. Laboratory examination of such goods 

 shows that the contents may or may not be rendered sterile by the reprocessing 

 and that in some cases material already decomposed is sterilized and sold. The 

 danger of poisoning from such reprocessed salmon is pointed out. 



Dried and packaged fruit, A. McGill (Lah. Inland Rev. Dept. Canada Bui. 

 269 (1913), pp. 25). — This bulletin reports analyses of 175 snmples of dried 

 fruits, bought in the open market in Canada, which Include raisins, currants, 

 prunes, figs, dates, apples, apricots, peaches, and pears, 83 being obtained from 



