250 



SCIENCE 



N. S. Vol. XXX. No. 764 



iiig in the autoclave with hydrochloric acid, but 

 they are partially decomposed either before or 

 after treatment with hydrochloric acid in the 

 autoclave by distillation with 20 c.o. of 10 per 

 cent, sodium hydroxide solution. Second, uric 

 acid is decomposed in part by the autoclave treat- 

 ment with hydrochloric acid and, moreover, it is 

 still further decomposed into ammonia by distilla- 

 tion with 20 c.c. of 10 per cent, sodium hydroxide 

 solution. Third, the hydrolysis-aeration method 

 purposed by the writers gives practically the same 

 urea nitrogen values as does the Folin method, 

 but tlie Benedict-Gephart method gives higher 

 results than does the Folin method. The average 

 of tlie analyses of twenty-five samples of urine in 

 triplicate by the Folin method gave a value of 

 10.00 grams of urea nitrogen, while the hydrolysis- 

 aeration method gave a value of 10.05 grams, and 

 the Benedict-Gephart method gave a value of 10.25 

 grams of urea nitrogen per 24 hours. The results 

 of the hydrolysis-aeration method expressed as 

 percentage of the Folin results varied from 99.45 

 to 101.94 per cent., the average being 100.43 per 

 cent. The results of the Benedict-Gephart method 

 expressed as percentage of the Folin results varied 

 from 100.88 to 103.86 per cent., the average being 

 102.52 per cent. Fourth, the hydrolysis-aeration 

 method requires much less time and attention 

 than does the Folin method and it does not re- 

 quire the expert manipulation and training neces- 

 sary to get concordant results as does the Folin 

 .method. 



Animal Nutrition. The Chemical Composition of 

 the Wholesale Cuts of Beef from Three Ani- 

 mals: A. D. Emmett and H. S. Gkindlet. 

 This paper reported the results of the slaughter 

 tests and the detailed chemical analysis of the 

 regulation wholesale cuts of three steers and one 

 calf. The four animals were of different ages and 

 ii was thus possible to determine the nature of 

 the grovvth of the animal body at different stages 

 of its development. From the analytical data 

 obtained it was possible to calculate the weights 

 of the following constituents: water; insoluble, 

 soluble and total dry siibstance; insoluble, soluble 

 and total protein; coagulable, non-coagulable and 

 total soluble protein; nitrogenous, non-nitrogen- 

 ous and total organic extractives ; fat ; insoluble, 

 soluble and total mineral matter; and insoluble, 

 soluble and total phosphorus — in the eleven whole- 

 sale cuts and the entire carcass of each of the 

 four diiTerent animals. 



The results clearly show that with an increase 

 in the age of the animal there is a decrease in 



the percentage of the following constituents found 

 in the animal body — water, soluble dry substance, 

 soluble coagulable protein, soluble non-coagulable 

 protein, total soluble protein, nitrogenous and 

 non-nitrogenous extractives, and soluble phos- 

 phorus, but an increase in the percentage of the 

 following constituents: total dry substance, fat, 

 insoluble protein and insoluble phosphorus. A 

 careful study of the data leads unmistakably to 

 the conclusion that the cheaper cuts of meat in 

 many instances have as high a food value as the 

 more expensive ones. The cheaper outs are just as 

 wholesome, just as nutritious, and in every way 

 just as good as the more expensive cuts, except 

 that the latter give greater gratification to the 

 palate. The data show that there are noticeable 

 similarities and differences between animals of 

 dift'erent age and breed — as to the weights of the 

 bone, the visible fat, the lean meat and also as to 

 the chemical composition of the edible flesh. The 

 results of the chemical analysis indicate well- 

 defined dift'erenees due to age and maturity, and 

 marked differences between the wholesale cuts of 

 a side of beef, and yet a noticeable similarity in 

 the relative values of the corresponding wholesale 

 cuts from different animals. 



Urinary Creatinine of Men in Eealth: H. S. 



Gkindley. 



A study of the urinary creatinine of a group of 

 24 men in apparently normal health, varying in 

 age from 18 to 31 years and ranging in weight 

 from 54.0 to 80.1 kilograms, was made for a 

 period of 220 days. A varied and mixed diet con- 

 sisting of fruits, cereals, vegetables, soups, meats, 

 bread, milk, cocoa and sugar was supplied the 

 members of the club. The ingested nitrogen varied 

 from 10.6 to 15.8, the average being 13.3 grams 

 per man per day. The lowest average individual 

 creatinine value of the 24 subjects for the entire 

 period of 220 days equaled 1.58 grams per day. 

 The highest average individual creatinine value 

 for the entire group for the same period equaled 

 2.25 grams per day. The average creatinine value 

 expressed as grams per 24 hours for the twenty- 

 four men for a period of 220 days equaled 1.85 

 grams. The creatinine values in the form of the 

 so-called creatinine coefficients, that is, as milli- 

 grams of creatinine per kilogram of body weight, 

 are as follows: minimum 24.4, maximum 31.5, 

 average 28.1. 



Folin first proved the fact " that the absolute 

 quantity of creatinine eliminated in the urine on 

 a meat-free diet is a constant quantity different 

 for different individuals, but wholly independent 



