100 



Scientific Proceedings (105). 



nervous system, could replace lysine in the diet. No evidence 

 exists that in the young rat aminization of fatty acids with the 

 resulting formation of aminoacids takes place. It was considered 

 that it might be possible to introduce a second amino group into 

 the caproic acid molecule provided one amino group was already 

 present in the a position. In view of the current idea as to the 

 probable position of the e amino group of lysine in the protein 

 molecule, the possibility also suggested itself that synthesis of a 

 protein without the free amino group of lysine might occur by 

 substitution of norleucine for lysine in the molecule. 



Young white rats were fed diets containing 18 per cent, gliadin 

 (wheat), lard, purified butter fat, starch, and protein-free milk. 

 Maintenance or slow growth was observed. That this failure of 

 normal growth was due to protein deficiency was demonstrated 

 by normal growth of young rats on a similar diet in which casein 

 replaced gliadin. Substitution of 0.5 and 1.5 per cents, of nor- 

 leucine for equivalent amounts of gliadin did not alter the rate of 

 growth. Normal growth occurred, however, when I per cent, 

 lysine replaced an equivalent amount of gliadin or was substituted 

 for the norleucine. These results are in agreement with those of 

 Osborne and Mendel in demonstrating the efficiency of lysine as a 

 supplement to a gliadin diet. The experiments with norleucine 

 offer no evidence that this amino acid can replace lysine in nu- 

 trition. 



60 (1520) 



A pharmacodynamic analysis of Straub's morphine reaction. 



By David L Macht. 



[From the Pharmacological Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University 

 and the James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Baltimore.] 



In 191 1 Straub and later his pupil Herrmann described a bio- 

 logical reaction for morphine which they thought was specific for 

 that alkaloid and could possibly be used in forensic work. 1 - 1 

 They noted that after injections of small amounts of morphine 

 in mice there followed a peculiar stiffening and bending backwards 



Straub, Deutsche med. Wochft., 1911, 1426. 



■ Herrmann, Biochem. Zeitschr., 1912, XXXIX, 216. 



