112 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Practical treatise on the analysis of foods, K. Gerakd and A. Bonn (Traitv 

 Pratique. (rAiKilijsc des DenrC'CS Alimcntaires. Pa7-is, 190S, pp. 60.'i, figs. J)2 : 

 rev. in Brit. Med. Jour., 190S, No. 2.'i58, p. 327). — Though this handbook of focjd 

 haspection has been prepared with special reference to the requirements d!' 

 French analysts, it contains data which will prove useful in other countrie;^. 

 Each chai)tor concludes with extracts from laws and government regulations 

 regarding the purity of foods dealt with, etc., and French official analytical 

 nu'thdds are given in the appendix. 



Analytical methods and miscellaneous communications regarding food 

 materials, etc. {Rev. Intcrnat. Falsif., 21 (lOOS), No. 1, pp. .'i-i-), fiy. 1). — A 

 number of papers including among others the following: A'inegar and the Law, 

 by L. ]Mathieu ; Montpellier ]Milk Standards, by Bertiu-Sans, Defrance, and 

 H. Inibert ; A Simple Method for Determining Raw and Cooked Milk, by L. 

 Gaucher; and the Dangers of Employing Arseuious Insecticides in Agriculture 

 from the Standpoint of Public Hygiene, by P. Cazeneuve. 



Micrographical examination of meat powder, C. N. Pkltrisot {Bui. Sci. 

 PJianiKico]., JJf ( I'JOl). pp. I!i-,i3; ahs. in Zt^schr. Untersuch. Nahr. u. GenussniiL, 

 15 {1908), No. Ji, p. 238). — Methods of judging of the character and quality of 

 meat powder are described which involve the use of the microscope and varior.s 

 stains. 



The estimation of boric acid in liquid eggs, A. E. Parkes {Brit. Food Jour.. 

 10 {1908), No. 110, pp. 20, „'/).— According to the author, the usual methods 

 employed for the estimation of boric acid were not altogether satisfactory when 

 applied to liquid eggs, and better results may be obtained if protein is first 

 precipitated with alcohol, tannin, or mercui'ous nitrate, of which the last men- 

 tioned is preferable. 



The presence of boric acid may then be qualitatively determined by testing 

 with sulphurous acid and turmeric paper. Boric acid is estimated quantita- 

 tively with standard sodium hydrate in the presence of phenolphthalein after 

 the separation of protein and phosphates. 



The author quotes the results obtained by his method in comparison with 

 other methods and when known quantities of lioric acid were used. 



The Burstert method of determining fat in cheese, E. Muhlbacii {Milchic. 

 ZentbL, .'/ {1908), No. .5, pp. 103-237, fir/s. 2). — According to this method cheese 

 is dissolved in an acid solution and the fat is separated centrifugally. The 

 proportion of fat is indicated liy the divisions of the scale on the neck of the 

 special bottle used. 



Method for the complete analysis of vegetable products, J. M. Albahary 

 {Compt. Rend. Aead. Sri. [Paris], L',6 (1908), No. 7, pp. 336-338) .^The scheme 

 for proximate analysis of vegetable products which the author outlines is more 

 detailed than that usually followed in food analysis, chiefly owing to the de- 

 termination of a number of the individual constituents making up the nitrogen- 

 free extract group. 



The estimation of starch in maize, A. Frank-Kamenetzky {Chem. Ztg.. 32 

 {1908), No». J.'i, pp. 157-159; 15, pp. 175, 176). — According to the author, the 

 starch value of maize bears a direct relation to the amount of extract when the 

 latter factor is determined under controlled conditions. In the method which 

 he outlines, a sami)le of finely ground meal is inverted with diastase, high 

 pressure being avoided, properly diluted, filtered, and the amount of extract 

 material determined with an immersion refractometer or by determining the 

 specific gi'avity with a pycnometer. The method of calculating the results, the 

 corrections which must be introduced, and similar topics are discussed and the 

 results of a number of determinations i-eported. The author believes that his 

 method is ai)plieable to other sorts of grain as well as to maize. 



