INDIAN CORN. 475 



it is even believed to possess a binding quality, so as to be 

 often prescribed against looseness of the bowels. 



Zea Mays, maize or Indian corn. Zea Mays is the name 

 given by botanists to the monoecious grass which yields the 

 Indian corn. 



ANALYSIS OF INDIAN CORN BY BIZIO. 



Starch, ...... 80.920 



(Fatty oil, . . . . 1.152 



Zeine, \ Gliadine, . . . 2.499 



(.Zimome, . . . .2.107 



Zimome, ..... 0.945 



Fatty oil, . . . . .0.323 



Extractive matter and sugar, -. . . 1.987 



Gum, . . . . . . 2.283 



Hordeine, . . . . .7.710 



Acetic acid, salts, and loss, . . . 0.074 



100.000 



In this analysis several names occur not at present in cur- 

 rent use namely, zimome, gliadine, zeine, and hordeine. 

 Zimome and gliadine were described by Taddei, an Italian 

 chemist, as the constituents of gluten, the zimome being dis- 

 tinguished by striking a blue colour with the powder of guaia- 

 cum, the resinous principle got from lignum vitse, while the 

 gliadine is to be known by being soluble in alcohol. These 

 views, however, have not been adopted, though the names still 

 occasionally turn up in analyses. The term zeine (from eia, 

 a kind of grain) is plainly employed to signify the same prin- 

 ciple as gluten under the Italian view namely, zimome, glia- 

 dine, and fatty oil. Hordeine was described by Prout as a 

 principle peculiar to barley, and seems, in fact, to be diastase. 



Indian corn is a wholesome and nutritious aliment, yet apt 

 to produce looseness in persons unaccustomed to its use. The 

 young grains in the green state make an excellent vegetable 

 for the table, and are used as a substitute for green pease. 



