566 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LII. No. 1354 



arthritides, but we have not found any chemo- 

 therapeutic action against trypanosomes or spiro- 

 chaetes. A di-mereury compound of saligenin has 

 been prepared by refluxing saligenin with 2 mols. 

 of mercuric acetate in dilute alcohol on a water 

 bath for several hours. The sodium salt of this 

 is water soluble and is an excellent antiseptic, 

 about as good as HgClj but 1:1000 solutions are 

 non-irritating to mucous membranes, and are being 

 used successfully in the treatment of gonorrheal 

 urethritis. An acetate of this substance has also 

 been prepared. 



The occurrence of diastase in the sweet potato 

 in relation to the production of sweet potato 

 sirup: H. C. Gore. In the production of sweet 

 potato sirup the potatoes are cooked until soft, 

 crushed finely and mixed with 2 parts of water. 

 Three per cent, of ground barley malt is then 

 added, and the mixture digested at 60°-65° C. for 

 from 20 minutes to one hour. During the time 

 nearly all of the starch is changed into maltose 

 and dextrin. Separation of the soluble solids from 

 the insoluble pulp is easily made by use of the 

 rack and cloth type of press or by suction filtra- 

 tion; and the wort is then evaporated into sirup. 

 The yield of sirup is at least 30 per cent, of the 

 weight of potatoes taken. The pulp remaining 

 amounts to 5 per cent, of the weight of potatoes, 

 and may be dried and used for feed. The crude 

 sirup can be used for aU cooking purposes for 

 which similar sirups are employed. 



Polyneuritis as influenced by the amount of pro- 

 tein and carbohydrate present: A. D. Emmett. 



The acid-base balance in animal nutrition. IV. 

 The tolerance of rabbits to acid rations over long 

 periods of time: A. R. Lamb. Rations complete 

 from the standpoint of nutrition and as nearly as 

 possible of proper physical character for rabbits 

 were so planned from combinations of oats, alfalfa 

 meal, casein and normal sulfuric acid solution, as 

 to furnish a slight excess of acid-forming mineral 

 elements. This excess of acid in the ration was 

 equivalent to about 3 to 5 cc. normal acid solution 

 per rabbit per day. On this ration several rabbits 

 have made normal growth, and one female which 

 has received the ration for eleven months has re- 

 produced successfully, and her progeny have made 

 their entire growth to maturity on the same ra- 

 tion. Most of the acid is excreted normally as 

 phosphates. The ammonia production in the sec- 

 ond generation, however, is increased from an 

 average of 0.5 per cent, of the total urinary ni- 

 trogen to an average of 2.0 per cent, on the same 



ration, a possible adaptation to the abnormal acid 

 character of the ration. This work is being con- 

 tinued. 



Further studies on the effect of a deficiency of 

 fat-soluble vitamine: V. E. Nelson and Alvin E. 

 Lamb. Rabbits fed upon a ration of casein, dex- 

 trin, salts, wheat embryo and extracted alfalfa, 

 containing practically no fat-soluble vitamine but 

 otherwise complete, invariably develop xeroph- 

 thalmia. The time of the onset of this sjTnptom 

 varies directly with the age of the rabbit and 

 occurs in young rabbits in four to eight weeks 

 time. A ration consisting of oats, gelatin, salts 

 and extracted alfalfa produced from three to 

 eight weeks before the death of the rabbit. At- 

 tempts to induce the disease in the eyes of rats on 

 the same ration by inoculating with the exudate 

 from the eyes gf affected rabbits did not succeed. 

 It has not yet been possible to produce the disease 

 in chickens or guinea pigs. 



The hydrogen ion concentration of the contents 

 of the small intestine: J. F. McClendon. Deter- 

 minations were made on two healthy men about 25 

 years of age on a mixed diet and the following 

 readings obtained: Subject No. 1, pH=r5.1, 4.5, 

 4.9, 4.1, 4.2, 6.5, average 4.9; subject no. 2, pH = 

 4.5, 5.2, 4.4, 6.2, 6.4, 5.9, average 5.4. The de- 

 terminations were made by passing a rubber tube, 

 1.5 mm. bore with 6 gram weight attached through 

 the mouth until it extended 7 feet into the ali- 

 mentary canal. The tube was allowed to remain 

 in place 5 days and 4 nights while the subjects 

 followed their accustomed occupations. The con- 

 tents passed out of the tube into a hydrogen elec- 

 trode ■ vessel. The electrode was made of gold, 

 plated with irridium and was totally immersed in 

 the sample when the readings were taken. 



Charles L. Parsons, 



(To be continued) 



Secretary 



SCIENCE 



A Weekly Journal devoted to the Advancement of 

 Science, publishing the official notices and pro- 

 ceedings of the American Association for 

 the Advancement of Science 



Published every Friday by 



THE SaENCE PRESS 



LANCASTER, PA. GARRISON, N. Y. 



NEW YORK, N. Y. 



Enleced in the potl-office mt Loncutci. Pa., ai tecoad dui matter 



