E ldridge . D ecom position of creatinephosphoric acid in

relation to the activity of m uscle. II. D. Nach- mansohn (Biochem. Z., 1929, 208, 237—256; cf. A., 1928,917).—The isometric coefficient K m (kg. tension x, cm. muscle-length/mg. phosphoric acid split off) and the isometric time-coefficient K , (kg. tensionXcm.

muscle-lengthxsec. tetanas/m g. phosphoric acid split off) were determined. K t is about 15 for 2 sec. tetanus, 32 for 5 sec., 50 for 10 sec. The anaerobic resynthesis for periods of varying length is about 30% of the

amount hydrolysed. I n curarised muscle K t is relatively high for 2 sec., and changes little with number or length of period. I t falls with submaximal and increases with excessive stim ulation. Muscle in phosphate solution resynthesises creatine-phosphoric acid up to 95% of the creatine present. The K,„

value a t 4° is 79—100, a t 24° 40—60.

J . H. Birkinshaw. S ign ifican ce of g u a n id in e p h o sp h o ric acid s (p h o sp hagen s) fo r m u sc le activ ity . 0 . Meyer­

hof (Naturwiss., 1929, 17, 283—2S7).—Creatinine- phosphoric acid (phosphagen) is decomposed to a measurable extent as a result of a muscular contraction lasting 5 sec. The phosphagen is resynthesised anaerobically to the extent of 30% during the first 30 sec. after the contraction. The process has been studied w ith normal muscle and curarised muscle in relation to the time of contraction. The decomposi­

tion of phosphagen bears a very close relationship to the velocity of response to stimulus.

R. A. Morton. M u s c u la r c o n tra ctio n . I II . C hange in g ly­

cogen d u rin g c o n tra c tio n p ro d u c e d b y te ta n u s to x in . H. A. Davenport, H. K. Davenport, and S. W. Ranson (J. Biol. Ghern., 1929, 82, 499—504).—

Contraction of rabbit and guinea-pig muscles under the influence of tetanus toxin was accompanied by reduction of the glycogen content; this was not the case in the rat, nor did contraction caused by section of the dorsal roots of the spinal nerves influence the glycogen content. Tetanus toxin had no effect on the glycogen of denervated muscles.

C. R. Harington. L actic ac id ex c re tio n in u rin e a n d sw e a t in v a rio u s s p o rts . I. Snapper and A. Grunbattm

(Biochem. Z., 1929, 20S, 212—220).—After football on cold days and rowing, more than 60 mg. of lactic acid was. found in the urine of the m ajority of con­

testants. Football on warm days led to high lactic acid and chlorine excretion (46S and 846 mg.) in the sweat. After long-distance running there was little lactic acid excretion in the urine, th e “ steady state ” is reached after 9 min. After swimming (5 and 20 min.) there was much lactic acid in the urine (maximum

1-76 g.). Albuminuria frequently occurs after swim­

ming, glucosuria occasionally after football and

swimming. J . H. Birkinsilvw.

R e la tio n b etw een p h o sp h o ric acid a n d c a rb o ­ h y d ra te m e ta b o lis m in iso la te d liv er. W . A.

Engelhardt and A. N. Parshin (Biochem. Z., 1929, 208, 221—229).—Surviving isolated rab b it’s liver was perfused with Ringer’s solution. W ith well-fed animals the phosphoric acid eliminated shows a steady increase, with fasting animals a constant value or slight decrease. Addition of dextrose to the perfusion liquid decreases, the phosphoric acid excretion.

Fluoride and calcium nullify the effect of dextrose, although inactive in its absence.

J. H. Birkinshaw. C a rb o h y d ra te m e ta b o lis m . IV. A ction of h y d ro x y m e th y lg ly o x al on n o rm a l a n d hypo- glycsem ic a n im a ls. W. 0 . Kermack, C. G.

Lambie, and R. H. Slater (Biochem. J ., 1929, 23, 410—415).—Hydroxymethylglyoxal in its dimeric

form is highly toxic to mice and rabbits, and in sublet ha 1 doses produces symptoms similar to those of insulin hypoglycemia. In its monomeric form the toxicity is reduced by 73% and the same traiii of symptoms is not produced. Hydroxymethylglyoxal in either the dimeric or monomeric form is unable to cause recovery from insulin hypoglycemia.

S. S. ZlLVA.

C a rb o h y d ra te m e ta b o lis m . V. Effect oi a d m in is tra tio n of d e x tro se a n d of dihydroxy- aceto ne on g lycogen c o n te n t of m u scle in de- p a n c re a tis e d c a ts. W. O, Kermack, C. G. Lambie, and R. H . Slater (Biochem. J .. 1929. 23, 416—421).

—Small quantities of dihydroxyacetone administered intravenously to decerebrated cats from which the pancreas has been removed tend to increase, whilst large quantities tend to decrease, the muscle-glycogen.

Similar results are obtained with dextrose except that the relation between the am ount of dextrose adminis­

tered and th e change in glycogen m ay not be so great.

High initial blood-sugars before pancreatectomy appear to cause an increase in musele-glyeogen, Muscle-glycogen is not more readily formed from dihydroxyacetone than from dextrose in presence of

the liver. S. S. Zilva.

A ction of acid on glycogen in th e cell fl.

Ellvs and S. Weiss (Wien. med. Woch.. 1928. 78, 1351— 1352; Chem. Zentr., 1928, ii, 2571).—With increasing hydrogen-ion concentration of the surround­

ing liquid, the glycogen content of frog-spawn grad­

ually diminishes. A. A. Elpehwe. In h ib itin g actio n of p o ly sa c c h arid es on dex­

tro s e hyperglycasm ia. G. Solarino (Boll. Soc.

Ital. Biol, sper., 1927, 2, 1039—1042; Chem.

1928, ii, 2375).—Soluble rice or cereal starch (25 c-' in warm water causes in fasting dogs a hyperdycmi&

of 0-012—0-04S%. Soluble starch, when administered after dextrose, inhibits the hyperglycannia, the vahes being between those for dextrose alone and those for

starch alone. A. A. Eldktdge.

C hanges in m e ta b o lis m d u rin g irradiation.

V. C hanges in c a rb o h y d ra te m etabolism . H- L. Pincussen and T. Kawakami (Biochem. Z.. 19*29.

208, 1S5— 190; cf. A., 1928, 918).—R ats exposed to the light of a mercury' lamp for 30 min. show ed an

increase in glycogen in the liver and muscle and a decrease in lactic acid content; the heart show ed no

change. The effect is compared with th at of insulm-J . H . Birkinshaw. P e n to se m e ta b o lis m . H I. H a te s of disposal of d- a n d f-arab in o se in th e r a b b it. R. C. Coble?

(J. Biol. Chem., 1929, 82, 269—272).—Following intravenous adm inistration of d- and Z-arabinose to rabbits the rates of disappearance of the two sugars from the blood are closely similar, th at of the tf-isom*

eride being possibly slightly more rapid: the concjusK®

of STeuberg and Wohlgemuth (A., 1902, ii, 336) is therefore not confirmed. C. R. H aw ngtox.

S cyllito l in se la c h ia n ontogeny. J . XeedhaX (Biochem. J ., 1929, 23, 319—323).—The yolks of tae undeveloped eggs of A canthias vulgaris c o n ta in onl>

insignificant quantities o f scyllitol, whilst the embr}

contain greater amounts. The dogfish them ere

b i o c h e m i s t r y. ₈₄₅

gynttijZfrises most, of it« jfcyllitol. T he yolk and jelly of ficylliv.ru canicida egg» also contain only traces of

scyJJitol. S. S. Zilva.

Influence of w o rk o n th e f a t co n te n t of fro g muscle. W. Xiemzerko (Acta BioL E xp., Warsaw, 1929,3,143— 164).—T h e f a t contents of sym m etrical gastrocnemius muscles are identical; individual values for different anim als v a ry by 300% . During the winter the fa t co n ten t declines progressively from an average value of 0-74% in th e au tu m n to 0-30%

in June. The destruction of cell structure, as well as heat tetanus, does n o t affect th e fa t content of muscle-tissue. T he fats present in frog m u scle are not utilised until glycogen reserves have been considerably exhausted. R . T rc sz k o w sk i.

Body fats. P h y sio lo g y of f a t deposition. W.

Speaxger (Biochem. Z., 1929, 208, 164— 178).—The viscosity of a num ber of emulsions was determ ined as a measure of th e dispersion. T h e viscosity of Ringer solution is scarcely changed b y sodium or calcium oleate, lecithin, cholesterol, an d cholesteryl ester present in physiological am ounts. Albumin, lecithin, and sodium oleate a c t as oil-in-water emulsifiers. The effect is increased by cholesterol, cholesteryl ester, and calcium oleate a t low concentrations an d diminished at higher concentrations: these substances cam e phase inversion when th e am o u n t of fa t is increased.

Cholesterol an d its ester when present together (optimum ratio 1 : 2 ) , however, favour an oil-in-water emulsion. The phase-inverting action of cholesterol, but not of the ester, depends on th e am ount of the water phase. A water-in-oil emulsion exists in fa tty

deposits. ,J. H . Biekikshaw.

Phosphatide content of organs after adm inis­

tration of large am ounts of phosphatide. II.

B. Rewald (Biochem. Z .: 1929, 208, 179— 184; cf.

A., 1928,1154:).—A dog receiving 30 g- of phosphatides P® day for 15 m onths showed practically the same increase in th e lipin co n ten t of various organs as incurred in a previous experim ent lasting 6 months.

The glands—ovaries, thyroid, pancreas, etc.—showed Wy large increases, tw o to three tim es normal.

J . H . Bibkts-shaw. Asymmetric utilisation of p-i.sobutylphenol in tie animal body. C. Fromageot (Biochem Z., 1929,208,490— 492).— W hen optically inactive p -iso - mtylphenol is fed to ra b b its an d th e urine hydrolysed, '-wbutylphenol is obtained. P. W . Clcttep.buck.

Parenteral absorption of colloids. II. S. Haya-

% (Biochem. Z., 1929, 208, 361— 367).—B y in tra­

venous injection of urease, a considerable concentration the enzyme is obtained in th e serum and is m ain­

tained for several hours. Intraperito neal injection

‘jj larger am ounts also causes urease to accum ulate in toe serum, bu t more slowly. Subcutaneous injection fesnlts in the appearance gradually of traces of urease 1,1 the serum. Intraperitoneal absorption of the enzyme is dependent on th e medium, on its p H, on the ions present, and th eir concentration.

P. W . Cl u t te r b u c k.

Increase in the calcium content of the organs F^kkits on feeding w ith naphthalene. A. Ca d e

-on BarraiJ (Compt. rend. Soe. Biol., 1928, 99, 043—522; Chem. Zentr., 1928, ii, 2479).

E ffect of e th y l alcohol on d e h y d ro g e n a tio n a n d on th e oxygen d e m a n d of m u sc le . G. d i Macco

and P. ^Formicola (Riv. Pat. sper., 1928, 3 , 44—51;

Chem. Zentr., 1929, i, 410).—Small doses of alcohol, on injection into frog’s muscle, have an inhibitory, and large doses an activating, action. The decom­

position of alcohol in th e tissue is accomplished by an

enzyme. A. A. El d r id g e.

B lood a n ti-c o a g u la n t in pepto ne. B . E . Br u d a

(Klin. Woch., 1928, 7 , 1742; Chem. Zentr., 1928, ii, 2482).—W itte’speptone, on precipitation with acetone, extraction with methyl alcohol, taking up with water, filtering, and evaporating, affords a substance which renders blood non-coagulable, and is similar to Howell’s heparin. A. A. ^El d r id g e.

N e u tra lis in g p o w e r of so a p s fo r c o b ra venom . M. Re.v a u d (Compt. rend. Soc. Biol., 1928, 99, 496— 498; Chem. Zentr., 1928, ii, 2480).—Detoxication of cobra venom by soaps is slower than th a t of tetanus, diphtheria, or ^{B . coli} toxins. A. A. ^El d r id g e.

[E le c tro sta tic s in b io ch e m istry .] K. ^Spiro (Koll.-chem. Beih., 1929, 28, 208— 219).-—A lecture on the relations between electrical phenomena and the phenomena of life. E . S. He d g e s.

Cell- a n d tis s u e -p o te n tia ls . K. ^Umratji (Koll.- chem. Beih., 1929, 28, 259—262).—The relation between electrical potential and susceptibility to staining in tissue is discussed, and also the variation in potential according to whether the cell is living or

dead. E. S. He d g e s.

E le c tro s ta tic s a s a sp ecial d o m ain in b io ­ c h e m istry . R. ^{Ke l l e r} (Koll.-chem. Beih., 1929, 28, 219—234).—A lecture, in which qualitative and quantitative methods of determining electrical potential in living cells are discussed.

E . S. He d g e s.

P h y sic a l fo u n d atio n s of e le c trica l p o te n tia l in th e o rg a n is m a n d d ire c t m e th o d s of m e a s u re ­ m en t. R. Fu r t h (Koll.-chem. Beih., 1929,2 8 ,235— 245).—The measurement of electrical potential in organisms is discussed and a practical potentiometric method is described in detail. E. S- He d g e s.

C o m p arativ e c a rd io v a sc u la r a c tio n of tw o ste re o iso m e rid e s, tro p a n o l a n d .¿-tropanol. M.

Polono vski and R. Hazard (Compt. rend., 1929, 188, 1441—1443).—Whilst intravenous injection of tropanol (cis) into a dog lowers the blood-pressure, large doses causing a decrease in the regularity and amplitude of the contractions of the heart, the Irans- isomeride, ^-tropanol, similarly injected, raises the blood-pressure, seemingly due to peripheral vascular contraction. The action is complex (closely resemb­

ling th at produced by nicotine) and consists of two phases : (i) one of inhibition which is suppressed by atropine; (2) one of relative acceleration and increased blood-pressure. Normal conditions are subsequently restored and the effects produced diminish with each successive injection. J. W. ^{Ba k e r.}

B iological a ssa y of e rg o t p re p a ra tio n s. G. L.

Pa t t ee and E. E. Ne lso n (J. Pharm. Exp. Ther., 1929, 3 6 , 85—105).—The assay of ergot by the cock’s comb method and the adrenaline reversal method

of Brown and Clark have been compared. The results are practically identical. Ergotoxin is found to be slightly but distinctly stronger than ergotamine.

F. C. Happold. R eagent for detection and determ ination of quinine. E. G. S te r k in and G. I. H e lf g a t (Bio- chem. Z., 1929, 207, 8—24).—The reagent consists of a m ixture of equal volumes of 0-12% sodium arsenate solution, 2% ammonium molybdate solution, and 2% hydrochloric acid. I t can be preserved in the dark for 4—5 months and under certain con­

ditions it will detect quinine hydrochloride a t a dilution of 1 in 2 x 106. For the determination 1 c.c.

of the reagent is added to 5 c.c. of a slightly acid, suitably diluted portion of the liquid to be tested and after a certain time a nephelometric measure­

m ent is made. A m ethod for the extraction of quinine from blood is described. A t a dilution of l i n l - 5 x l 0 5 quinine hydrochloride can be deter­

mined in such extracts with an error not exceeding 5%. A t higher dilutions the error is greater. Caffe­

ine, morphine, apomorphine, cocaine, atropine, and plasmoquin are precipitated by the reagent, but their presence in sufficient quantity to interfere with the determination of quinine is not likely to occur.

Potassium mercuric iodide cannot be used for the nephelometric determination of quinine.

W, McCartney.