4 2 



trogen compounds in nutrition. Morgan, Beger, and Westhausser 

 (Landw. Versuchs-Stat., 1909, 71, i) fed milch cows on diets in 

 which the non-protein compounds of malt, extract of grass, aspa- 

 ragine, ammonium acetate and tartrate were compared with protein. 

 The authors conclude that the conversion of these substances into 

 digestible proteins in the intestine by the action of bacteria can 

 hardly be regarded as proved. Although of much less value than 

 proteins, they will do some of the work of the latter bodies, not 

 so much by enabling the proteins to be better utilised, as by 

 themselves carrying out some of their functions, although they are 

 probably not converted into materials available for the making of 

 meat or flesh. W. Thaer (Ibid. 70, 413; A., ii, 608) fed sheep 

 with hay and various quantities of protein, asparagine, molasses, etc., 

 and found that the nitrogen of the molasses was but little utilised, 

 the asparagine somewhat more so. The inorganic elements of 

 nutrition have attracted more attention than usual, especially the 

 phosphorus compounds. Hart, McCollum, and Fuller (Amer. J. 

 Physiol., 1909, 23, 246; A., ii, 161) find that animals become un- 

 healthy when the phosphorus in the ration falls below a certain 

 limit ; increased amounts result in larger skeletal growth. Nuclein, 

 lecithin, and phytin gave no better results than inorganic phosphates, 

 although there was no evidence of synthesis in the body of organic 

 from inorganic phosphorus compound. E. Koch (St. Peter sb. Med. 

 Woch., 1906, 400; A., ii, 162) on the contrary, found that inorganic 

 and non-protein phosphorus compounds are not utilised in repairing 

 phosphorus waste, except, perhaps when phosphorus starvation was 

 setting in. From the practical point of view, H. Ingle ( r . Agric. 

 Set. 1909, 3, 22) shows that most of the foods, such as oat hay, 

 mealies, and bran, used for horses in South Africa are deficient 

 in lime rather than in phosphoric acid, and possess a very low 

 Ca O, P 2 Oj ratio. The author connects this badly balanced diet 

 with the prevalence of a disease, osteoperosis, characterised by an 

 exceptional weakening of the bones, which causes considerable 

 mortality in parts of the colony. Ingle recommends the use of 

 leguminous fodders, such as lucerne hay, to provide a great amount 

 of lime in the diet, instead of the bone meal which is often em- 

 ployed, because in the latter the lime is already combined with 

 phosphoric acid. Certain pastures and particular parts of the 

 country have always been famous for raising horses with good 

 bone, but there has been no scientific investigation of the causes." 



