380 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Dietetics in relation to hospitals for the insane, W. O. Atwater ( U. S. Dept 

 Agr., Office Expt. Stas. Rpt 1904, pp. 473-49J). — Investigations noted from a previous 

 publication (E. S. R., 16, p. 688) are summarized and general problems connected 

 with institution dietetics arc discussed, particularly hospitals for the insane. 



Labels on adulterated and imitation foods, R. M. Allen {.Kentucky Sta. Bvl. 

 119, pp. 23-41). — The State pure-food law, which has been in operation 6 years, 

 requires that food shall be so labeled that its true character may be known. 



Such publicity, according to the author, has "about stopped the use of formalde- 

 hyde in milk and boric acid in meat. It is stopping the use of aniline dyes in fruit 

 products and saccharin in canned corn. It is stopping the use of salicylic and ben- 

 zoic acids in jellies, preserves, ciders, and grape juices. Imitation products are being 

 labeled for what they are, and if the consumers will purchase with ordinary care 

 they can protect health and obtain fair values in the purchase of foods." 



In many instances the labels are not as plain as they should be, and the informa- 

 tion which the law demands shall be made public is printed in such a way that it is 

 not likely to be read or is expressed in terms with which the public is not familiar. 

 Some of the terms used are explained, and sample labels are reproduced so that labels 

 of this character may be understood. The bulletin also contains a discussion of anti- 

 septics and coloring matter. 



The protective value of proteids and their decomposition products on 

 trypsin, II. M. Vernon {Jour. Physiol., 31 {1904), No.'5,pp. 346-358).— The follow- 

 ing statements are quoted from the author's summary of his investigations: 



"The protective value of various substances upon trypsin was estimated by keep- 

 ing pancreatic extract with 0.4 per cent sodium carbonate and a known percentage 

 of the substance for 1 hour at 38° C, and determining the amount of trypsin thereby 

 destroyed. As a rule the protective value depends almost entirely upon the power 

 the substance possesses of neutralizing the alkali, and so rendering it incapable of 

 reacting upon the ferment. 



"Most proteids have practically the same protective value, about 45 per cent of 

 the trypsin of an extract being destroyed per hour in presence of 0.4 per cent of pro- 

 teid, 27 per cent in presence of 1 per cent, 12 per cent in presence of 2 per cent, and 

 7 per cent in presence of 4 per cent of proteid. When no proteid was present 56 

 per cent of the ferment was destroyed. H yd rated proteids have a slightly greater 

 protective value than native proteids, and the decomposition products of proteid 

 hydrolysis a slightly greater one still. . . . 



" in certain cases there is a combination between ferment molecule and proteid. 

 Thus egg albumen possesses a most marked antitryptic action, the digestive power 

 of the ferment being reduced to 29 and 2.9 per cent of its normal value in the pres- 

 ence of 0.05 and 1 per cent of the proteid, respectively." 



ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 



Relative values of feeding- stuffs, H. P. Armsby {Pennsylvania Sta. Bui. 71, 

 Pl>. 16). — Feeding stuffs have commonly been compared on the basis of digestible 

 nutrients and on the basis of energy values. The author does not believe that such 

 values are satisfactory, but is of the opinion that the work required to eat and assimi- 

 late, which is known to vary with different feeding stuffs, should also be taken into 

 account. 



With the respiration calorimeter for experiments with animals (E. S. R., 15, p. 

 1036) such factors can be studied, and the bulletin summarizes the results of experi- 

 ments with steers made to compare timothy hay, clover hay, and corn meal, both 

 for maintenance rations and for production. The following table shows the abso- 

 lute and relative values of these feeding stuffs as computed on the basis of digestible 



