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PAGE SIX THE COLLECTING NETTHE CHEMISTRY OFTHE VITAMINSIn recent years, by means ofthousands of feeding experiments,the distribution of thesesubstances in food stuffs hasBy Dr. Blanchardbeen carefully determined. Few ing this substance in quantitiesir.vestigators, however, have sufficient for identification. Unfortunatelyonly a very smallJust thirty years ago, the turned their attention to theDutch physician Eijkman first concentration,quantity of the cholesterolisolation, andwasendowed with anti-richitic propertiesby ultra-violet radiation.observed the unique syndrome chemical characterization ofof avian polyneuritis in hens these interesting components of For some time, however, thisour food.fact was viewed with curiositywhose diet had been restrictedrather than from the standpointof organic chemistry.to polished rice. He comparedthis condition to the human dis-and showed thatease beri-beri,it could be relieved by a dietcontaining either rice hulls ortheir aciueous extract. Approximatelya decade later, Hopkinspointed out that animals couldnot deevlop and live upon anapparently complete diet consistingof proteins, fats, car'bohydrates,and inorganic salts,without the addition of unknownWe mayaccessory food factors.properly regard these observationsas the beginning of experimentswith those peculiarlyelusive entities now termed thevitamins.After the passage ofanotherten years, a ho.'^t of investigatorsconcentrated their attentions uponthese substances, with theresult that it soon became evidentthat vitamins are apparentlynot proteins, not glucids norlipins, but are organic in nature,and are indispensable for theproper metabolism of organismsint;apable of synthesizing themfrom the elementary foods. Althoughknowing absolutely nothingabout their structure orchemical identity, biochemistsnow recognize the existence ofsix such substances. These havebeen termed respectively vitaminA, B, C, D, E, and P-P. Theomission of any one of themfrom the diet produces a uniquepathological condition whichmay be relieved by a diet abun-a trulv remarkable anti-scorbuticactivity.dant in the missing vitamin. Inthe absence of Vitamin A, The lecturer followed this byngrowthdiscussion ofceases, and experimentalone of the mostinteresting phases of modernanimals develop the eye condition,xerophthalmia; in the tion of the anti-richitic factor,biochemistry—the characteriza-absence of B, young animals vitamin D. It was early foundcease to grow and adults develop that this substance was presentinberi-beri; in the absencethe non-saponificable fractionof C,of cod-liver oil. Drummond andscurvy occurs, the scourge ofthe wind-jammer crews and explorers; the absence of D resultsin rickets, to be observed inchildren in any tenement district;without E, sterility is produced; and without P-P, pellagraensues.In a recent evening lecture.Dr. Drummond, of the Universityof London, discussed in somedetail the results obtained bythose few investigators whohave sought to isolate the variousvitamins. He described insome detail the method used 'byJanscn and Doneth, who extracted100 kilos of rice polishingswith acidified alcohol. The activeprinciple in the extract was adsorbedon clay, desorbed, andthen subjected to a series offractional precipitations withsilver salts. Finally a few tenthsof a gram of material possessingall the vitamin-activity ofthe original 100 kilos wereobtained. This material wasremarkably active, .000002 gramdaily being all that was necessaryto keep animals on a vitaminB-free diet in a healthycondition. Although theseauthors have determined theempirical formula of the substanceto be CH'ÔN^, unfortunatelythey did not determineits molecular weight; hence 'tis impossible to say whether thisis the true for^ûla or only thesimplest one. Professor Drummondpointed cut the importantfact that the vitamin B itselfmight possibly be present inmuch smaller quantity, adsorbedupon the compound isolated.He next discoursed upon theprogress made by Zilva of theLister Institute, in obtaining avitamin C concentrate. This investigatorhas succeeded in obtainingall of the anti-scorbuticactivity of a liter of lemon juicein a fraction weighing less than0.0,S% of the original juice.While this product is bv nomeans a pure substance, it hashis associates succeeded in obtaininga more concentrated preparation,by distillation in highvacuo. Later Steenbock in thiscountry, and Rosenhain andWebster in England, discoveredthat cholesterol, which hadabsolutely no anti-richitic activity,could, by irradiation withultra-violet light, be convertedinto a mixture possessing theactivity of vitamin D preparations.The biochemists immediatelysaw a possibility of obtain-Drummond finallysucceededby tedious fractional recrystallizationin preparing a sampleof cholesterol of higher meltingpointthan any previously obtained.In his lecture he statedthat he was "inordinately proudof this achievement", but wassoon disappointed on findingthat the sample could not berendered active by ultra-violetradiation. Seeking an explanation,he took it to the organicchemist Heilbronn, who, on spectroscopicexamination, quicklyascertained that its absorptionspectrum differed by three bandsfrom that of ordinary preparationsof cholesterol, althoughthe chemical properties of thetwo were identical. It followedthen that cholesterol as ordinarilyprepared contained a verysmall amount of an impurityresponsible alike for the threeabsorption bands and the antirichiticactivity developed by irradiation.Attention was thusfocussed upon a large numberof cholesterol derivatives previouslyprepared by the Germanchemist Windaus, who has devotedhis life to untangling thestructural mysteries of cholesteroland its derivatives. Windausreadily cooperated withthe English inve.stigators, andwith Hess in America, with theresult that the sterol, ergosterol,was found to possess not onlythe three absorption bands missingfrom Drummond's preparationof cholesterol, but also theproperty of yielding, on ultravioletirradiation, a vitamin Dpreparation effective in preventingrickets, when used in almostunbelievably small doses.Unfortunately we do not knowprecisely the structural configurationof either cholesterol orergosterol, it is impossible to ascertainthe structure of vitaminD. This problem, moreover, is notlikely to be solved by any excepta skilled organic chemist trainedin untangling molecular intricacies.It is known, however,that ergosterol is a more unsaturatedcompound than cholesterol,and it seems a reasonableassumption that its activationis in some way connectedwith alterations in the configurationof the unsaturated linkages—possiblya simple polymerization.Such speculation,however, will be fruitless untilwe know more concerning thestructural chemistry of the parentsubstance—ergosterol.W C DAVIS-COMPANYHOME FU/9NISMERSFALMOUTH MASSalo Daylight Lamp for Microscope and Colorimeter||-; Illumination, Also for pH Colorimetric Worki'lii^ lump priidiireH a tTUi- mihI iiatnriil Xorllt nU,> liRlit. 'I'ho liKht from iif^pr4-);il .Mazfia bulb Is lUtcri'il tliroiiicb uti iM-4-tir:ili- tiller leiiN, tlir i-olor ciiml»nr.ltJiiof wliieh hiiH bo^-^n stbntmniHy (b'tcrmhu'd. Tbf L'suKiint N'ortbNUyliKbi ra.VH an- ilirtH-t*"*! upon ki n'fU'i'tor «hlcli liuTcaHi-d llio IlRht (HIViinIoiiami tbiiM nrodiu-cH n more nci'iinite nml iniiforni illiimiiiiitlon.Y\'rito for our iruiimntoodPALOfla.vli'cbt biilli-tiiiCOMPANYApparatus for Industrial and Laboratory Use153 WEST 23RD STREET NEW YORK, N. Y.B=S
—James S-Iarvey Robi^nsonLeaves for DartmouthJames Harvey Robinson, historian,and author of "Mind inthe Making", who has spent thesummer in Woods Hole, left onWednesday evening for Dartmouthwhere he will attend aconference on social science andwill discuus his own methods inthe art of teaching and of presentingfacts. The title of hislecture will be "The heavy traditionsof book making".Prof. Robinson, a quiet personwith iron grey hair, a ratherdetermined looking moustacheand intent grey eyes, has spentthe summer taking the coursein protozoology because hewanted to find out a little moreabout life, and his determinationto find out has extended well beyondthe laboratory. Prof.Robinson's room at the MayflowerHotel is equipped with alaboratory table fitted with microscopesaccompanied with culturesof protozoa which he hasa habit of taking home from theclass room and of studying untilthe early hours of the morning.His equipment and the systematicarrangement of his materialwould be a credit even to a professionalbiologist.It is his contention that ifsocial science is to be made intosomething more than an amateurslumming trip it must beginAvith a study of biology. Thebiological processes. Prof.Robinson says, control humanactivity, and human behaviour isbased on fundamental biologicalreactions. It is impossible totry to understand civilizationand groups of men without firstunderstanding their evolutionarybackground.Prof. Robi.nson, who has foryears studied educational methods,was most favorably impressedwith the way in whichthe laboratory courses were conducted.He expressed his appreciationof the laboratory by presentingthe editor of The CollectingNet with a check for$100.00, as a "token of appreciationof the laboratory", to beused for the Scholarship Fund,or in any way which might bestserve the laboratory.In discussing his work in theclass room this summer Prof.Robinson suggested that if adark-field condensor and aGreenough microscope wereplaced at the disposal of thestudents it might help themgreatly in seeing their specimensfrom dilTerent angles and inidentifying them with a betterunderstanding.Prof. Robinson does not approveof American education ingeneral, since so much of it iscut and dried rote work thatglorifies memory instead ofiiationcination. In the martialatmosphere of an examinationroom a student can not do hisbest work, and in general conditionsare not conducive toclear thinking or good memory.Mr. Robinson regards the PhiBeta Kappas as a "bunch ofboobs" and does not considerthem any more capable and intelligentthan any other similargroup. There are exceptions,of course, but in general theymust submit to stereotypism anda premium is placed on memory.Prof. Robinson is much interestedin the question of presentingdifficult subjects to the nonspecialistin a way that theycan be easily comprehended.When people write they mustkeep constantly before them thekind of persons to whom theyare writing and adapt it to theirmental make-up. Writing ofthis kind is a science in itselfpnd Prof. Robinson has thoughtand worked on this problem foryears. This he has well shownin his "The Humanizing ofKnowledge".He is now engaged in editinga series of books called "HumanizingKnowledge" in which heand his fellow editors, especiallyDaniel T. MacDougall, presentfacts Avith a technique that Avillattempt to stimulate rather thanrepel the incipient thirst forknoAvledge.Dr. and Mrs. R. B. Littlefrom the RockefelloAv Institutein Princeton, N. J. are visitingthe Laboratory for a week.Dr. Read Ellsworth, whoAA'ôrked last summer in Woods :Hole as associate of Dr. L.Michaelis visited last week ona trip to B'oston.The following members of theNational Academy of Sciences lhave been in residence at theMarine Biological Laboratoryduring the present season : Drs.G. H. Parker, T. H. Morgan, E.G. Conklin, L. L. Woodruff, B.M. Duggar, C. R. Stockard, C.E. McClung, F. R. Lillie, H. S.Jennings and H. H. Donaldson.THE SEA CUCUMBERRf'npath the waves the sea cucumberPprnds all his hours \vi-apped in slumber,> "' 'i- do'^s not appear to seeTV|p n-jiy, aquatic scenery.It seems a most cucumbroiis way:t' drowsing thru the sunny day.Olg-a MarxCAMOUFLAGESeme students though they'd fool aProf,And at his helpless poundprang scoff.To him they lug, with faces smug,A neatly glued composite bug.Tb"v tpll a tale hnw they came by it,And ask bim to identify it:The Prof glanced o'er his glassesmarge"The student hum-bug—CAMOU-FLAGE".pH. D.THE COLLECTING NET PAGE SEVEN-iEXAS OILS AND GA.SWoods Ho!e Garage Co.Tel. 643Opp. StationHUDSON-ESSEXMOTOR CARSWe have several good secondhand cars for sale.The Crocker GarageCorporation, Inc.FalmcuihMaROBir^ SON'SPHARMACYB. W. Dris, Prop.R. W. Nickerson, Reg. Phar.Falmoutlh's OldestDrugstoreFirst-classDrugs and ImportedToilet ArticlesA Registered PharmacistAlways on DutyARENO'SKI'SEst. 1892 Phone 410The Home ofHart Schaffner & Marx ClothingLamson & Hubbard HatsPrintzess Suits, Coats andDressesWalk-Over ShoesSatisfaction Guaranteed orMoney RefundedFalmouth -:- -:- Mass.Compliments ofPENZANCE GARAGEWOODS HOLE, MA.SS.Day or Night A. L. A.Phone G.52TowingDr, George H. GreeneDENTIST()iri(!i', Nearly Opposite Si. liarnahnsJIt'uiorialCliurchFALMOUTH, MASS.Hours: '.)A. M. - 12 M. ; 1-4 P. M.Telephone 35RIDE THE BUSTO FALMOUTHIt costs less than todrive your own car.B. R. NICKERSONWOODS HOLE, MASS.VisitCape Cod's LargestDepartment StoreH. MALCHMAN&BRO.Thos. Jlalehman, Prop.CLOTHIERS, HATTERSand FURNISHERSMain StreetTelephoneConnectionFalmouthTIMEis the important faSt;iin Te«-linologyAustralian Journal of Experimental Biologyand Medical Science (Adelaide, South Australia)Advance Abstract Sheets -_._-_-- $3.00 per yearBibliog-raphic Service Cards - $5.00 per yearBoth appear before the complete articles are publishedTHE WISTAR INSTITUTEThlrty-Klxth Street and Woodland Avenue :: Philadelphia, Pa.
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