August 11, 1916] 



SCIENCE 



217 



parasite are killed and no longer supply nutrient 

 material for the latter, thereby causing its death by 

 starvation. 



The Presence and Origin of Volatile Fatty Acids in 



Soils: E. H. Walters. 



In a recent examination of a sample of Susque- 

 hanna sandy loam soil from Texas acetic acid and 

 propionic acid have been isolated and identified. 

 The soil was found to contain approximately 41 

 parts per million of acetic acid and 13 parts per 

 million of propionic acid. 



In determining the kinds and amounts of vola- 

 tile acids produced during the decomposition of 

 green manure it was found that 98.5 c.e. N/10 

 acetic acid and 49.5 c.e. N/10 propionic acid were 

 produced from 100 grams of rye when this amount 

 of finely ground material was mixed with one kilo- 

 gram of soil and allowed to decompose for six 

 months under optimum moisture conditions in a 

 loosely covered jar. During the decomposition of 

 alfalfa under similar conditions it was found that 

 44.6 e.c. iV/10 acetic acid and 35.4 c.e. iV/10 prop- 

 ionic acid were produced from 100 grams. Meth- 

 ods used in the isolation and estimation of these 

 acids are described in detail. 



On the Reaction of the Pancreas and other Organs : 



J. H. Long and P. Penger. 



These investigations are in part a continuation 

 of those reported at the Seattle meeting. In a 

 large number of qualitative tests it was found that 

 the pancreas "press juice," obtained by centrif- 

 ugal action, is constantly acid in the organs of 

 hogs, beef and sheep. The P values, the hydrogen 

 coefficient or potential, were found to vary within 

 narrow limits, 5.5 to 5.7. 



The livers of a number of animals and the press 

 juice from the parotid glands of cattle were like- 

 wise found acid. An acid reaction was recognized 

 also in the juice of the spleen of hogs, but the 

 liquid from the thyroid was practically neutral. 

 Some explanation of the possible reason for this 

 variation in reaction is discussed. 



The pancreas reaction is undoubtedly an impor- 

 tant physiological phenomenon and the source of 

 the acidity was found to lie in two directions. A 

 complete quantitative analysis of the salts in the 

 press juice shows that they consist largely of alkali 

 phosphates, with potassium acid phosphate in larg- 

 est amount. A combination of the various ions de- 

 termined discloses the fact that the solution must 

 have an acid behavior. Another source of acid re- 

 action is found in the character of the nucleo-pro- 

 teins present. Among these the a-proteid of Ham- 

 marsten is probably the most important. 



Contributions of Chemistry to the Science and Art 



of Medicine: L. J. Desha. 



The fundamental relationship between chemistry 

 and medicine is emphasized by a resume of chem- 

 ical contributions to progress in physiology, path- 

 ology, therapeutics, diagnosis, etc. Such contribu- 

 tions will be increased by providing more men 

 adequately trained in both chemistry and medicine. 

 The question is raised as to the feasibility of pro- 

 viding for regularly trained chemists a special one- 

 or two-year course in those branches of medicine 

 most intimately related to chemistry. A field for 

 such men exists in teaching the new medical chem- 

 istry, in research, and particularly in the widening 

 applications of quantitative methods in diagnosis. 



Chemical Aids in Diagnosis. I. A Comparative 

 Study of the Tests of Renal Function: L. J. 

 Desha. 



A preliminary report is made including the data 

 on thirty-six eases in which the Hedinger-Schlayer- 

 Mosenthal test diet has been used. The normal 

 standards and diagnostic advantages set forth by 

 Mosenthal are in general confirmed. The Green- 

 wald precipitation of the blood proteins has been 

 successfully employed. Most cases with established 

 nephritis show increased nonprotein nitrogen in the 

 blood, but there appears no close relationship be- 

 tween this value and prospective fatal termination. 

 The work is being continued to include the Ambard 

 and other tests. 



Oxalic Acid and its Salts in Foods and Spices: 

 Arno Viehoever and Joseph P. Clevenger.s 

 Information is given as to the presence and dis- 

 tribution of oxalic acid and its salts in foods and 

 spices. Some of the data are taken from literature 

 and some are the results of a special microscopical 

 and microchemical investigation. 



Oxalic acid is present in many of our daily foods, 

 usually in the form of calcium oxalate. Very small 

 amounts of oxalic acid have been reported in po- 

 tatoes, cabbage and pickles, where its presence was 

 not detected microscopically by us. No calcium ox- 

 alate has been found so far in peas, carrots, pars- 

 nips, kale, cranberries or any of the cereals. 



A new specific microchemical reaction with re- 

 sorcin sulphuric acid was applied. 



On Some Proteins from the Jack Bean, Canavalia 



ensiformis: Carl O. Johns and D. Breese 



Jones. 



When meal made from the Jack bean was ex- 

 tracted with 10 per cent, sodium chloride about 10 



3 Contribution from the Pharmacognosy Labora- 

 tory, Bureau of Chemistry, Washington, D. C. 



