FOODS HUMAN NUTRITION. 663 



lar snhject) does not appear to affect any of the iiitro<;eii()tis suhstauces of the 

 urine excreted on that or following days." 



Concerning the extractives of muscle. X, The identity of novains with 

 carnitin, IJ. Kkimiskki; [/.tsclir. I'Inisiol. Chnii., '>■> itHOS), Xo. G, pp. .JO'C- 

 .'fSO). — A continnatioii <>f the study of meat extractives (K. S. li.. 20, p. ;'.<!.")). 



Concerning: the extractive material of muscle. The relation of oblitin 

 to carnitin, H. Krimbkkg (Ztsrln: I'liii.sioh Clicm., 56 (1908), No. Jf, pp. Jfll- 

 .};?'/). — Accordinjj to the author's investigations oblitin is readily formed from 

 carnitin. This is taken into account in a critical discussion of the chemistry of 

 meat extract. 



Experiments on the effect of a maize diet. Some properties of zein, 

 S. Hacilioni (Atti R. Accad. Lined, liciul. CI. Sci. Fi.s.. Mat. c \(it., J. srr., 17 

 iiuns), I, Xo. 9, pp. 60D-()J7). — From experiments with small animals and 

 laborat<»ry data, the conclusion is reached that maize as the sole food for <i 

 iong time is harmful, imihaitly owing to some si)ecitic action of zein. 



Concerning the digestion of fat in the animal body, S. Levites (Zentbl. 

 Grsam. I'lip.siul. u. I'utli. t<toffirich.scL'<, ii. so:, S (l!)OS), Xo. 10, pp. 370-372). — 

 I'sing dogs with fistuhe the author studied the digestibility of fatty acids and 

 their salts and found that the salts were better assimilated. In the case of 

 palmitin and oleic acid, however, the differences were not very decided, but 

 with stearic acid, which has a high melting point, the difference was so great 

 as to indicate that this acid can only be assimilated in the intestine as a salt. 



The action of gastric juice on starches, II. Roger and L. G. Simox ( I'resse 

 Med. [I'ari.s], 1007, Xo. 87, pp. 697, 698; abs. in Zcnthl. Gesam. Physiol, u. Path. 

 Stofficcchsels, n. ser., 3 (1908), Xo. 9, pp. 353, 35.'i). — Gastric juice, the authors 

 state, affects starch solutions in such a way that the action of pancreatin is 

 intensitied. This is due to the swelling of the starch grains and to chemical 

 changes in which starch is converted into dextrin. When starch solution is 

 treated with gastric juice and the starch precipitated with alcohol, the liltrate 

 on the addition of iodin shows a red-violet color while a control sample under 

 similar conditions remains colorless. Ptyalin also intensifies the action of pan- 

 creatin in the intestinal tract. 



Experiments on carbohydrate metabolism, J. E. Johansson (Skand. Arch. 

 Physiol.. 21 (1908), Xo. 1, p-p. l-3.'f). — As shown by the respiratory quotient 

 exjieriments reported, sugar under ordinary dietary conditions causes a decided 

 increase in the production of carbon dioxid which within limits is proportional 

 to the amount of sugar taken. The maximum increase was noted with about 

 inf> gm. of sugar. I.evulose increased carbon dioxid production about twice as 

 nuich as ji like amount of dextrose. If the stored glycogen is low the increased 

 carlton dioxid i)roduction is less than under normal conditions and sometimes is 

 nf)t evident. The Increased carbon dioxid outr>ut is difficult to explain on the 

 basis of increased labor of digestion. 



With suhj(H-ts in health neither dextrose or levulose were excreted in the 

 urine except during the period of increased carbon dioxid output. On the other 

 band, cane sug.-ir was excreted also after this increased output had subsid(>d. 

 The niaxinnini absoritlion of sugar in the intestine, according to the author, is 

 not over so gm. i>er hour. The maxinnnn carl)on dioxid output for cane sugar 

 and levulose was about '.','i gm. \h'V hour witii a lower \Mlue for dextrose and 

 milk sugar. 



With diabetic patients the normal increase in carbon dioxid output was note<l 

 In some c:ises while in other cjises it was less than normal or absent. 



The influence of mineral matter in the formation of the tissues, .T. (J Aim: 

 (lirv. Six: Sci. Ilyij. Miiiirtif.. .i (1906), Xo. ,7, pp. 89'f-908).—\ discussitm of 

 the relatiuus of mineral and organic matter, based on investigations of the 



