AGEICULTUEAL. CHEMISTRY AGEOTECHNY. 705 



alkali for | hour in a boiling water bath. (3) The mixture of sugars is allowetl 

 to stand in contact with tenth-normal alkali for 24 hours in a thermostat at 

 37° C. 



All 3 methods give good results, the third being given the preference as it has 

 the additional advantage of taking on the least amount of coloration. In all 

 the methods, dextrose, levulose, invert sugar, etc., must not exceed 2 per cent. 



[The use of caustic potash for breaking down reducing- sugars in sugar- 

 house products as a preliminary for determining raffinose], H. Pellet 

 {Anier. Sugar Indus, and Beet Sugar Gaz., 13 {1911), No. 1, pp. 6, 7). — It is 

 pointed out in this article that the utilization of caustic potash to break down 

 the reducing sugars was proposed by H. Pellet " over ten years ago. 



The estimation of lactose in the presence of the commonly occurring 

 sugars, J. L. Bakeb and H. F. E. Hulton (Analyst, 35 {1910), No. 417, pp. 512- 

 516). — ^As a direct estimation of lactose in the presence of other sugars which 

 reduce Fehling's solution is impossible, the authors sought to utilize the fer- 

 mentation test, based on the nou-fermentability of lactose, with washed brewers' 

 yeast (0.5 gm. of yeast to 100 cc. of a 2 to 3 per cent sugar solution held for 

 from 60 to 70 hours at 25° C). When pure solutions of lactose were employed 

 the amount of lactose fermented was found to be 5 per cent, with equal weights 

 of lactose, glucose, and maltose per cent, with wheat starch containing 10 

 per cent of lactose per cent, and with flour with 10 per cent of lactose 3 per 

 cent. 



The oxidation index of milk, T. Jona {Gaz. Chim. ItaL, 40 {1910), II, No. 

 5-6, pp. 414-4I6; BoL Soc. Med. CJiirurg. Pavia, 24 {1910), No. 2, pp. 202-201 ; 

 abs. in Chem. ZentU., 1910, II, No. 17, p. 1328). — The previous work of Coman- 

 ducci (E. S. R., 18, p. 872) has shown that a creamed milk has a lower total 

 oxidation index than a milk containing its- total cream. The serum of a 

 creamed milk has the same index as that of a normal milk, but a milk contain- 

 ing water has a lower index for its serum. By determining the oxidation index 

 of both the milk and the serum it is. therefore, possible to detect substances 

 added to the milk, or the removal of the cream. 



To carry out the method 5 cc. of milk is diluted to 500 cc. with wnter, 20 ec. 

 of sulphuric acid (1: 5) added, heated on the water bath to from 60 to 70° C, 

 and then tenth-normal potassium permanganate added dropwise, until a per- 

 manent pink color remains for 10 minutes. The number of cubic centimeters 

 of permanganate used per cubic centimeter of milk equals the oxidation 

 index. For the serum the process is the same, with the exception that the 

 casein, etc., is previously precipitated by adding to 100 cc. of the milk in a flask 

 attached to a reflux condenser 2 cc. of a 20 per cent solution of acetic acid, 

 placing this in the boiling-water bath for 10 minutes, then rapidly cooling and 

 filtering. 



As a result of the examination of the milk from 200 cows the oxidation 

 index for milk was found to be on the average from 43 to 45 ; for the serum it 

 was from 36 to 38. 



A new method for determining the lactose and the fat content of milk, T. 

 JoNA {Gaz. Chim. Ital., 40 (1910), II. No. 5-6, pp. 419-424; Boh Soc. Med. 

 Chirurg. Pavia, 24 (1910), No. 2, pp. 178-184: ahs. in Chcm. Zcntbl., 1910. II. 

 No. 17, pp. 1328. 1329). — The author, utilizing the principles involved in the 

 work noted above, finds that the number of cubic centimeters of tenth-normal 

 potassium permanganate used have a direct relation to the fat present in the 



"Bui. Assoc. Chim. Sucr. et Distill., 15 (1897), No. 6, p. 611, 

 94492°— No. 8—11 3 



