DIGESTIBILITY OF SOME SEED OILS. 3 



with tea or coffee, if a beverage other than water was desired. Pre- 

 vious experiments have shown tliat such a diet is reasonably pala- 

 table and especially suited to a study of this character. 



Other experimental conditions were the same as in the earlier 

 digestion experiments with fats in which a 3-day or 9-meal test 

 period proved entirely satisfactory, since it allowed the use of suffi- 

 cient quantities of fat to give accurate results but was not so long that 

 the diet became too monotonous. The test period was generally fol- 

 lowed by a rest period of 4 days, during which the subjects were per- 

 mitted to follow their usual dietary routine. The subjects of the 

 digestion experiments were medical or dental students from 20 to 

 40 years of age, moderately active, of good health, and normal appe- 

 tites. With one or two exceptions they had served as subjects of 

 experiments previously reported, and in every instance were trust- 

 worthy and carried out carefully the directions given them. The 

 diet during the experimental periods was limited to the prescribed 

 ration and the subjects were instructed to reserve all uneaten por- 

 tions of the diet for reweighing, and to observe care in the separation 

 and collection of the feces. 



The total amounts of food eaten were recorded, as well as the 

 weight of the feces, and samples of both food and feces were ana- 

 lyzed. From the amount and composition of food and feces the per- 

 centages of protein, fat, and carbohydrates digested were calculated. 

 Although the subjects were not required to eat any specified amount 

 of food, it was desired that the weight of fat consumed daily should 

 approximate that eaten in the earlier experiments (about 100 grams 

 per man per day) in order that it would be possible to compare the 

 physiological action of like amounts of edible fats. In general, the 

 greater part of the food served was eaten without comment, showing 

 that it was acceptable to the subjects. Though no special effort was 

 made to determine the limit of tolerance of any of the fats under 

 consideration the tests furnish data regarding it. 



CORN OIL. 



In the commercial manufacture of cornstarch and other corn prod- 

 ucts the germ is removed from the corn and remains as a by-product. 

 When subjected to pressure the germ, which is more than half fat, 

 yields an oil which has been used for some time for technical and 

 also for culinary purposes. In a review of the present commer- 

 cial production of corn oil Bailey^ says that, as a result of the per- 

 fection of the methods of manufacture, and the careful separation of 

 the germ, a very satisfactory edible oil is produced. Edible com oil 

 has been used quite extensively in the preparation of lard substitutes 

 and it is now becoming quite a common household product. 



1 U. S. Dept. Agr., Yearbook Sept. 691. 



