FOODS HUMAN NUTRITION. 173 



Potassium is entirely different from sodium in its relation to fat formation 

 in the body. In tlie author's experiments increased excretion of sodium was 

 never noted when continued gains in weight were made. In the light of recent 

 observations he considers that potassium should be regarded as a labile ele- 

 ment which rapidly leaves the body, and in this respect is the opposite of 

 sodium and calcium. 



The effects of a restricted diet and of various diets upon the resistance of 

 animals to certain poisons, R. Hunt {Puh. Health and Mar. Eosp. Serv. U. 8., 

 Hyg. Lab. Bui. 69, pp. 93). — Dogs and small animals were used in these ex- 

 periments. 



Quotations from the author's summary follow : 



" Diet has a marked effect upon the resistance of animals to certain poisons ; 

 the resistance of some animals may be increased forty fold by changes in diet. 



" Certain diets, notably dextrose, oatmeal, liver, and kidney, greatly increase 

 the resistance of mice to acetonitril ; their effect is similar in this respect to 

 the administration of thyroid. 



" The efl'ect of an oatmal diet in increasing the resistance of certain animals 

 to acetonitril is probably due in part to a specific effect >f the diet upon the 

 thyroid gland; this is an illustration of how an intern.i: secretion may be 

 modified in a definite manner by diet. . . . 



" Season has an important effect upon the resistance of animals to certain 

 poisons ; in some cases these effects seem to depend upon seasonable variations 

 in the activity of the thyroid. 



" The experiments show that foods such as enter largely into the daily diet 

 of man have most pronounced effects upon the resistance of animals to several 

 poisons ; they produce changes in metabolism which are not readily detectable 

 by methods ordinarily used in metabolism studies. The ease and rapidity 

 with which certain changes in function are caused by diet are in striking con- 

 trast with the essentially negative results obtained by the chemical analyses 

 of animals fed upon different diets." 



The influence of the salts in drinking water on physical development, R. 

 Berg (Biochcni. Ztschr., 24 (1910), No. 3S, pp. 282-303; abs. in Jour. Chem. 

 Soc. [London], 9S {1910), Xo. 511, II, pp. 425, 426). — The author includes data 

 collected by C. Rose and supplements them by the results of his own investiga- 

 tions. 



According to his conclusions the harder the drinking water of a district the 

 better the physical development of the children. The conclusions were prin- 

 cipally drawn from the examination of the condition of the teeth. The compo- 

 sition of the saliva was also studied with reference to the effect of drinking 

 waters of varying hardnesses, and diets containing varying amounts of calcium. 

 According to the author, the amount of saliva excreted increases with the hard- 

 ness of the water, and childien who habitually drink hard water secrete a 

 saliva both relatively and absolutely more alkaline than is the case with chil- 

 dren in neighborhoods supplied with soft water. Other characteristics of the 

 saliva were also studied. 



Food poisoning', E. Sacquepee (Les Smpoisonnemcnis Alimentaires. Paris, 

 1909, pp. O.J).— In this monograph th- author considers gastro-intestinal poison- 

 ing, namely, that due to Bacillus enteriUdis and allied terms, as communicated 

 by meat from diseased animals, animals overworked, cakes with cream filling, 

 etc. ; typhoid poisoning due to Proteus vulgaris, as communicated by meats or 

 potato; poisoning due to Bacterium coli; that due to preserved meats and 

 related topics. Botulism, treatment (.f food poisoning cases, prophylaxis, and 

 general matters pertaining to the subject are also discussed. 



