of the University of Pennsylvania. 57 



grain (i.e., the portion lying within the fourth 

 layer), justifies us in the conclusion that by far the 

 major portion of the nutritious nitrogenous matters 

 exist in entire independence of the "gluten-cells." 



The difficulties which attend the complete isola- 

 tion of these cells, however, have as yet rendered 

 impossible any accurate estimation of the proportion 

 of their proteid contents. Admitting for the mo- 

 ment that the "gluten-cells" contain albuminoids in 

 any noteworthy amount, 1 there are yet present con- 

 ditions which seriously affect if they do not entirely 

 nullify the nutritive efficiency of this portion of the 

 grain. 



The first of these conditions is the presence of the 

 rough bran-scales, which, by increasing peristalsis, 

 so hasten the passage of the entire intestinal con- 

 tents that complete digestion and absorption are pre- 



1 Apart from the statement of Schcnk, above cited, the en- 

 tire absence of gluten in the cells of the fourth layer has been 

 latterly affirmed by Mege Mouries, who is quoted by Payen 

 (Substances Alimentaires) to the effect that these cells are 

 " filled with nitrogenous substances, of which gluten is not 

 at all one." He finds the cells in question to contain, in ad- 

 dition to the salts of magnesium, lime, and ptasb, a peculiar 

 diastatic ferment, cereulin, whose function is the transforma- 

 tion of the starch of the grain into dextrine and glucose for 

 the nourishment of the germinating seed. 



