DIGESTIBILITY OF SOME SEED OILS. 3 
with tea or coffee, if a beverage other than water was desired. Pre- 
vious experiments have shown that 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- 
Ijzed. 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 1 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 corn 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. Agi\, Yearbook Sept. 691. 
