100 . MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 355 



281 Galactose cataract in rats. Helen S. Mitchell and Gladys M. Cook. Arch. 

 Ophthalmol. 19:22-33. 1938. 



The discovery that cataract could be produced in rats by feeding a 

 diet adequate in every respect, but supplemented with galactose, has 

 led to the use of these animals in a study of the influence which other 

 dietary factors may have upon lens changes. A low protein ration appre- 

 ciably hastens the development of cataract and a high protein ration tends 

 to retard it. Other dietary factors including excess or deficiency of certain 

 relevant vitamins have failed to alter the cataract-producing action of 

 galactose. The successive stages of development of the cataract visible 

 to the naked eye are posterior opacity, dense nuclear opacity, and com- 

 plete opacity. After a change to a normal diet, regression from the stage 

 of complete opacity to that of dense nuclear opacity has been observed 

 in a large proportion of the experimental animals. 



283 A study of the types of problems investigated by graduate students in 

 animal husbandry and the occupations in which the recipients of advanced 

 degrees engage. Ralph W. Phillips and Frederick N. Andrews. Amer. 

 Soc. Anim. Prod. Proc. 1937:182-188. 1938. 



The data presented show the types of problems upon which theses 

 submitted for advanced degrees in animal husbandry have been based, and 

 were obtained from 31 of the Land-Grant Colleges. Totals of 508 Master's 

 and 58 Doctor's degrees granted during the years 1930 to 1934 are included. 



285 Nutritional anemia in cattle in southeastern Massachusetts. J. G. Archi- 

 bald and K. J. Kucinski, and R. O. Brooke and S. L. Freeman. Jour. 

 Dairy Sci. 21 (2):59-68. 1938. 



A disease of cattle locally known as "neck ail," of long standing in 

 certain localities of southeastern Massachusetts, has been shown to be 

 identical with nutritional anemia of cattle occurring in various widely 

 scattered portions of the world and known by various names. It is char- 

 acterized by emaciation, loss of appetite, and a diminution of the red 

 blood cells and hemoglobin content of the blood. It is caused by an in- 

 sufficient amount of iron in the native forage which in turn is due to a 

 very low iron content of the soil. As with cases reported from other 

 regions, spectacular recovery has followed the administration of iron com- 

 pounds to the affected animals. Addition of an iron compound to soils 

 from the farms where disease occurred resulted in a large increase in per- 

 centage of iron in grasses grown on these soils. 



286 Report on Zinc. R. A. Caughey, E. B. Holland, and W. S. Ritchie. Jour. 

 Assoc. Off. Agr. Chem. 21 (2):204-2O7. 1938. 



A method for the determination of zinc in plant products was worked 

 out, and is described in detail in this article. The method shows practi- 

 cally a complete recovery between 5 and 25 gammas of zinc. For larger 

 amounts of zinc, the use of suitable aliquots of the sample is recommended 

 rather than the development of a different procedure. Further testing 

 of the method by other laboratories is considered desirable. 



287 Influence of bile and bile salts on Aerohacter aerogenes. James E. Fuller. 

 Proc. Soc. Expt. Biol, and Med. 38:507-510. 1938. 



The study was undertaken to investigate the premise of certain investi- 

 gators that Escherichia coli may become Aerohacter aerogenes, and vice 

 versa, as a result of environment. If the intestinal environment is capable 

 of producing any such change, it seems that bile and its constituents would 

 be likely factors in inducing these alterations. Thirty strains of Aero- 

 hacter aerogenes were propagated in media containing bile or bile salts 

 for a period of five months. The results were in favor of the stability 

 of the culture reactions of pure established cultures of Aerohacter aerogenes 

 so far as the influence of bile or bile salts is concerned. 

 289 Erysipelas outbreaks in turke>- flocks. H. Van Roekel, K. L. Bullis, and 

 M.K.Clarke. Jour. Amer. Vet. Med. Assoc. 92 (n. s. 45):403-418. 1938. 

 Three spontaneous outbreaks of erysipelas encountered among turkeys 

 are reported. These occurred in three widely separated flocks and at 

 approximately the same time of year. No definite source of the infection 

 could be found. Erysipelas infection in adult turkey flocks may cau.se 



