March 22, 1907] 



SCIENCE, 



457 



series, having increased for the first few 

 periods, then decreased. The average for 

 the first three days of each period was less 

 than that for the whole period, and more 

 than for the last three days of the period. 

 Similarly, the average for the last three 

 days of a period was less than the daily 

 average of the period. Comparison be- 

 tween total nitrogen ingested and excreted 

 showed that for the first few periods in 

 each series the amount excreted was greater 

 than that ingested, while toward the end 

 the reverse was true. Apparently, in the 

 first case, the nitrogen of the hemorrhagic 

 blood was disposed of, or, if taken into the 

 system, allowed greater elimination fi*om 

 other sources. When the animals felt the 

 effects of the hemorrhages they no longer 

 rid themselves of this extra nitrogen, but 

 used it in the general economy. In the one 

 exception to this a second hemorrhage fol- 

 lowed the first so closely that the dog was 

 possibly unable to work up its material. 



The research was carried out jointly by 

 B. B. Crohn and the writer along lines 

 similar to those of a previous study of the 

 effects of external hemorrhage. 



On lodomucoid: Gustave M. Meyek. 



Fairly concentrated solutions of tendo- 

 mucoid in 0.5 per cent, sodium carbonate 

 were set aside at 40° with several grams 

 of pulverized iodine. Iodine was added 

 from time to time, so that an excess was 

 always present during the first twelve 

 hours. Warming was then continued until 

 no particles of iodine were noticeable. The 

 liquid had a deep red color. After filtra- 

 tion, the iodomueoid was precipitated with 

 0.2 per cent. HCl. The precipitate was 

 purified by repeated washings with water, 

 alcohol and finally with ether. A yel- 

 low powder was thus obtained, which con- 

 tained 14 per cent, of iodine. The other 

 halogens were absent. The substance other- 



wise possessed aU of its previous protein 

 properties. It could be redissolved in di- 

 lute alkali and precipitated without loss of 

 iodine. Details of further study will be 

 reported later. 



A Preliminary Report on the Toxicity of 

 Some Artificial Dyestuffs: Gustave M. 

 Meter. 



A number of commercial dyestuffs com- 

 monly used as food colorants were studied 

 in a preliminary way as to their general 

 behavior when administered in different 

 amounts to dogs, with a view of selecting 

 one or more pigments best suited for a 

 further study of effects on metabolism. 

 The coal-tar colors thus far studied are: 

 curcumin S, tartrazine, naphthol red S, car- 

 moisin B, naphthol yellow S, gold orange 

 and ponceau 2R. The effective amount, or 

 the quantity causing sufficient disturbance 

 to warrant a discontinuance of that dose, 

 varied from 0.83 gram per kilo body-weight 

 for curcumin, to 7.69 grams per kilo for 

 ponceau 2B. By way of comparison, it was 

 found that the effective amount of potas- 

 sium sulphate was 1.75 grams per kilo of 

 body-weight. Ponceau 2B is the only one 

 which appeared to be poisonous in the doses 

 given. One animal succumbed after the 

 administration of comparatively small 

 amounts of this dyestuff (2.9 gm. per kilo 

 of body-weight) whereas another animal was 

 unaffected by much larger amounts (7.69 

 gm. per kilo). In general equally large 

 amounts of various saline purgatives or 

 even many substances commonly regarded 

 as innocuous, gave effects similar to those 

 following the use of the colorants mentioned. 

 These dyestuffs were absorbed only to a 

 slight extent and, therefore, their elimina- 

 tion through the urine was not very 

 marked. The larger part of the ingested 

 dyestuff passed off unaltered in the feces. 

 This was particularly true when an excess- 

 ive dose of material had been administered. 



