November 4, 1921] 



SCIENCE 



445 



have the following average percentage composition : 

 C 52.75, H 6.97, N 15.64, S 1.21. Analyses by the 

 Tan Slyke method gave the following percentages 

 for the diamine acids : Arginine 5.45, histidine 2.25, 

 lysine 8.30, cystine 1.63. 



The 6 globulin was precipitated from the saline 

 extract of the meal at 0.65 to complete saturation 

 with ammonium sulfate. This globulin coagulated 

 at about 97° C, which is 10° higher than that of 

 the a globulin. It had the following average ele- 

 mentary percentage compositions: C 53.57, N 6.79, 

 N 16.46, S 0.40, and gave by the Van Slyke method: 

 Arginine 7.00 per cent., histidine 2.51 per cent., 

 lysine 8.41 per cent, and cystine 0.86 per cent. 

 The bases were determined also by the absolute 

 method of Kossel and Kuteher with the following 

 results: Arginine 5.08 per cent., histidine 1.75 per 

 cent, and lysine 4.17 per cent. A yield of 2.13 per 

 cent, of tyrosine was also isolated. The most strik- 

 ing difference between the two globulins lies in 

 their sulfur content. Both gave a qualitative test 

 for tryptophane, although faint and slow to develop 

 in the case of the a globulin. 



The hydrolysis of casein and deaminised casein 

 iy enzymes: Howard B. Lewis, and Max S. Dunn. 

 A study has been made of the digestion in vitro of 

 casein and deajninized casein by pepsin, trypsin 

 and erepsin. Both proteins were readily digested 

 by pepsin and trypsin. Erepsin digested casein 

 readily, but attacked deaminized casein only after 

 the preliminary action of pepsin or tiypsin. In 

 every case the digestion of deaminized casein pro- 

 ceeded at a slower rate than the digestion of casein. 



Synthesis of glycocoU and glutaimine in the 

 human body. C. P. Sherwin. 



Sevision of Bosanoff's diagram of the aldose 

 suga/rs: J. J. Willaman and Clarence A. Mor- 

 row. Rosanoff's diagram showing the structural 

 and genetic relationships among the aldoses is modi- 

 fied and extended. The objects of the revision 

 are: (1) to include all aldoses so far prepared; (2) 

 to rearrange the positions in the diagram so as to 

 obtain geometrical perfection in showing the stereo- 

 chemical progressions; and (3) to include in the 

 diagram the following facts which were not in- 

 cluded in the original: (a) the name of the sugar, 

 (6) its specific rotation, and (c) its occurrence, 

 whether natural or synthetic. Besides these, the 

 facts in the original are also retained: ((?) the 

 projection formula by means of a symbol, (e) the 

 original Fischer designation of family relationship, 

 whether d or 1, and (/) an index number, which, 

 referred to a legend, gives the name of the alcohol 



and the dicarboxyllie acid derivative of the sugar. 

 The revised diagram simplifies the study of stereo- 

 isomerism in the sugar group, and argues for the 

 adoption of a rational system of nomenclature in 

 this group. 



The constitution of inulin: J. J. Willaman. 



Biochemistry of plant diseases. IV. Effect of the 

 hrown rot: Fungus on plums: J. J. Willaman and 

 F. R. Davison. Two varieties of plums resistant 

 to brown rot, and two non-resistant, were picked at 

 three stages of maturity, and subjected to analysis 

 before and after rotting by Sclerotinia cinerea. 

 The ash, nitrogen, CaO, ether extract, and crude 

 fiber were consistently higher in the rotted samples, 

 due no doubt to loss of dry matter by respiration. 

 The resistant varieties contained much more crude 

 fiber, but less of the other constituents than the 

 non-resistant. The quality and quantity of the 

 structural elements in the flesh are a.ppai'ently im- 

 portant factors in resistance properties. 



Rennet content of pancreatic extract — method 

 for its isolation: Albert A. Epstein. The pres- 

 ence of this enzyme in the pancreas can be readily 

 demonstrated in a number of ways: (1) By heat- 

 ing the secretion or extract of the pancreas (in 

 solution) to temperatui-es ranging from 50° to 

 65° C. for a period of 10 to 15 minutes, the most 

 favorable temperature being 60° C. At this tem- 

 perature and those above it, flocculation occurs and 

 the ferment, which is soluble, remains in the fluid 

 portion. (2) Treatment of the pancreatic ferments 

 by means of colloidal iron and other precipitants 

 such as uranium acetate, alcohol, and sodium sul- 

 phate (to saturation) . (3) Addition of peptone mix- 

 tures such as those of gliadin and Witte's to the 

 pancreatic juice or extract liberates the rennet. 

 (4) Serum of a rabbit immunized by intravenous 

 injections of pancreatic extract when added to the 

 pancreatic extract liberates the rennet. It is con- 

 cluded from these experiments that rennet is con- 

 stantly present in the pancreatic secretions and ex- 

 tracts, not as a pro-enzyme but as an active enzyme 

 admixed with substances which are antagonistic 

 to it. 



The immunizing substance of the pneumococcus : 

 William A. Peelzwbig. The immunizing sub- 

 stance of the pneumococcus was found to be at- 

 tached to the protein traction of the cell. Being 

 resistant to the action of proteolytic enzymes, it can 

 be detached from the proteins by subjecting the 

 bacteria to prolonged tryptic action and further 

 separated by extraction of the digest with an ex- 

 cess of alcohol or acetone. The alcohol soluble 



