FURTHER COMMENT ON MUSCULAR WORK AND RESPIRATORY QUOTIENT In my note on "Muscular Work and Respiratory Quotient," in the last number of the BIOCHEMICAL BULLETIN,1 it was erroneously stated that Benedict and Cathcart, in their monograph on this subject, did not mention the rate at which the air was circulated in the apparatus used by them for measuring the gaseous metabolism of the bicycle rider. I find now, however, an allusion to this matter in the text, according to which a tremendous ventilation of 85 liters per minute was maintained during a work experiment, and I am glad to correct the error committed in my note. In discussing the shortcomings of Benedict and Cathcart's technic, I assumed that probably 600 liters of air passed through the sulfuric acid in the course of a work experiment. Since these experiments usually lasted ten minutes, a ventilation of 60 liters per minute, or one liter per second, was postulated in my argument. Considering the peculiar arrangement of the sulfuric acid absorption system in their apparatus, it must have been impossible to free such a rapid current of saturated air of all its moisture. Now, according to Benedict and Cathcart's own statement, 85 liters of air instead of 60, as I had assumed, were actually passed through the sulfuric acid wash bottle every minute, or practically one and a half liters per second. It is obvious that while I erred in saying that no information is given in the monograph regarding the rate of ventilation, my argument is strengthened by the fact alluded to above and which was overlooked in the preparation of my first note on this subject. SERGIUS MORGULIS College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1 Morgulis: BIOCHEMICAL BULLETIN, 1914, iii, p. 435. THE BIOCHEMICAL SOCIETY, ENGLAND Scientific programs R. H. A. PLIMMER, SECRETARY October 16.1 PHYSIOL. LAB., UNIV. OF LONDON, SOUTH KENSINGTON, S. W. (5.30 P. М.). J. C. Drummond and C. Funk: Chemical investigation of some rice-polishings fractions. S. S. Zilva (introduced by A. Harden): The rate of destruction by heat of the peroxydase of milk. A. Harden and R. Robison: A new phosphoric ester obtained by the aid of yeast juice. S. Walpole: Demonstration of cataphoresis apparatus-Hermann's phenomenon. H. H. Dale and G. Barger: Liver-nitrogen in anaphylaxis. J. A. Gardner: Respiratory exchange of fish under low oxygen tension. December 8.2 LISTER INST., CHELSEA Gardens, LONDON, S. W. (5.30 P. M.). Demonstrations of "micro-methods" of analysis. G. Barger: Determination of molecular weights. H. Maclean: Estimation of glucose in blood. O. Rosenheim: Van Slyke's method of estimating amino nitrogen. C. Funk and J. C. Drummond: (a) Pregl's method of analysis of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen. (b) Kjeldahl's method of estimating nitrogen (Bang). E. C. Grey: Analysis of aliphatic compounds by moist combustion. March 11.3 (Annual general meeting). MEDICAL LECTURE THEATRE, St. Bartholomew's Hospital and Coll., London, E. C. 1 The Society did not meet in August or September. See BIOCHEMICAL BULLETIN, 1914, iii, p. 452. 2 The Society did not meet in November. 3 The Society did not meet in January or February. The next meeting will be a joint session, on May 5, with the Society of Public Analysts. It will be University College, London. (5.30 Ρ. Μ.). S. Walpole: Counter diffusion in aqueous solutions. B. Moore: Photosynthesis by inorganic catalysts. B. Moore: Forms of growth or deposit arising in metastable colloidal solutions. G. Graham and W. H. Hurtley: The effect of the vegetable-egg diet on severe diabetes. R. L. Mackenzie Wallis: The estimation of the diastatic activity of the urine. G. Winfield: The fate of fatty acids in the survival processes of muscle. W. B. Bottomley: The formation of humus from organic sub stances. At this meeting the following officers were elected: Hon. Treasurer, J. A. Gardner; Hon. Secretary, R. H. A. Plimmer; Ordinary members of the Committee, W. A. Davis, T. A. Henry, and H. M. Vernon, to succeed F. G. Hopkins, E. J. Russell and J. S. Ford. devoted to a discussion of "methods adopted in the estimation of the nitrogenous constituents of extracts derived from albuminous substances, such as meat extracts and similar products, with special reference to the interpretation of the results." THE FEDERATION OF AMERICAN SOCIETIES FOR EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY* Peace resolution The following resolution was unanimously adopted at the annual meeting held in Saint Louis, on the twenty-eighth of December, One thousand, nine hundred and fourteen : WHEREAS, Various of the European nations with which many of our members are related by birth, descent, or intellectual friendship, are now at war; Resolved, That we extend to the scientific men within these nations the hope of an early and enduring peace, which will leave the nations with no permanent cause of rancor towards each other, and which will insure to each the glories of scientific and humanitarian achievement in accordance with its own conception of these ideals. THE PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY, Walter B. Cannon, President; THE SOCIETY OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTS, Graham Lusk, President; THE SOCIETY FOR PHARMACOLOGY AND EXPERIMENTAL THERA PEUTICS, Torald Sollman, President; THE SOCIETY FOR EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY, Richard M. Pearce, President; PHILIP A. SHAFFER, Secretary of the Federation. * The above is a copy of a formal statement that was sent to every member of the Federation.-(ED.) PROCEEDINGS OF THE SECOND ANNUAL MEETING OF THE FEDERATION OF AMERICAN SOCIETIES FOR EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY, IN ST. LOUIS, DEC. 28-30, 1914 PAUL E. HOWE PREPARED FROM REPORTS BY THE SECRETARIES OF THE CONSTITUENT SOCIETIES, A. J. CARLSON, P. A. SHAFFER, JOHN AUER AND G. H. WHIPPLE CONTENTS. (1) Federation of Amer. Soc. for Exp. Biol.: P. A. Shaffer, Sec'y of the Exec. Commit. of the Federation, 177; (II) Amer. Physiol. Soc.: A. J. Carlson, Sec'y, 180; (III) Amer. Soc. of Biol. Chemists; P. A. Shaffer, Sec'y, 182; (IV) Amer. Soc. for Pharmacol. and Exp. Therap.: John Auer, Sec'y, 185; (V) Amer. Soc. for Exp. Pathol.: G. H. Whipple, Sec'y, 187; (Addendum) Amer. Assoc. of Anatomists: Charles R. Stockard, Sec'y, 188. I. FEDERATION OF AMERICAN SOCIETIES FOR EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY: SECOND ANNUAL MEETING P. A. Shaffer, Secretary of the Executive Committee for 1914 The second annual meeting of the Federation, comprising the Amer. Physiol. Soc., the Amer. Soc. of Biol. Chemists, the Amer. Soc. for Pharmacol. and Exp. Therapeutics, and the Amer. Soc. for Exp. Pathol., was held at St. Louis, Dec. 28-30, 1914, in the laboratories of the Washington Univ. Med. School. Dinners and smokers. This part of the program was inaugurated by a dinner given by the Local Commit., on Sunday evening, Dec. 27, to the officers and councils of the constituent societies of the Federation and of the Anatom. Soc. The customary and universally satisfactory informal subscription dinners and smokers were held on the evenings of Dec. 28-30; the first two at the Hotel Jefferson, the last one at the Hotel War |