NUTRITION LABORATORY. 271 



literature, and on all sides there is the urgent request that Americans 

 will, especially at this time, be hberal in distributing papers and even 

 larger monographs and books. 



INVESTIGATIONS IN PROGRESS. 



The neuro-muscular effect of alcoholic beverages containing 2.75 per 

 cent alcohol by weight. — In the past only a little experimental work has 

 been done with adults in which alcoholic beverages have been used so 

 dilute as to contain but 2 or 3 per cent of alcohol by weight. Recent 

 developments have indicated that it is precisely the effect of these 

 beverages that is of practical importance. During November and 

 December 1919, Dr. Miles conducted an intensive experiment on one 

 subject, using as the standard dose 1 liter of 2.75 per cent alcohol and as 

 a control dose 1 Uter of water, after a very Hght lunch. A series of eight 

 neuro-muscular measurements was repeated several times before and 

 after taking the solution, and extensive data were collected by using 

 different alcohol solutions. The data on the one subject show very 

 consistent results. It was planned to use the same routine on a much 

 larger group, but the work was interrupted by Dr. Miles's European trip. 



Practice in static control. — A prolonged series of tests is being made by 

 means of an apparatus for quantitatively measuring the static control 

 in standing, with a view to accumulating normal records, ascertaining 

 the amount of practice that is conamonly required to reach approximate 

 constancy, and the extent to which the score reflects the subject's 

 general physical condition. 



Determination of quantity of alcohol retained during inhalation. — ^Al- 

 though the economic importance of the study of alcohol seems to be of 

 less significance than when the alcohol program was first pubUshed, 

 still the studies already begun warrant the continuation of the work, 

 primarily on account of their great physiological interest, entirely aside 

 from any other considerations. The study of the inhalation of alcohol 

 with hens has been continued this year with reference to the determina- 

 tion of the quantity of alcohol actually retained. The general pro- 

 cedure has been to pass alcohol vapor through a chamber containing 

 the animal. Determinations were made of the amount vaporized before 

 the air entered the chamber and of the amount still remaining in the 

 outcoming air; in this way the amount actually retained by the animal 

 was indirectly obtained. In connection with the same study, an at- 

 tempt was made to determine the respiratory exchange, particularly 

 the respiratory quotient, by means of the Haldane chamber-method 

 for animals. The studies were made by Dr. T. M. Carpenter with 

 the cooperation of Miss Jane L. Finn. 



Comparison of Haldane chamber-method for animals with gas-analysis 

 method. — To insure the accuracy of the determination of the respiratory 

 quotient in the study above mentioned, a comparison was made be- 



