LACTOBACILLINE OMITTED FROM N. N. R.

Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry

The Franco-American Ferment Company has advised the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry that, in advertising its products, it will no longer conform to the rules of the Council. This is evident. The Franco-American Ferment Company has distributed circulars in which the public is informed that auto-intoxication is the cause of innumerable ills ranging all the way from arteriosclerosis, rheumatism and gout to chronic headache, odorous perspiration, nervous disorders and melancholia; that the Bulgarian bacillus “is a wonderful corrective or remedy” for all these conditions, and that the Lactobacilline products are the only preparations of Bulgarian bacillus “to be had in America which bear his [Professor Metchnikoff’s] personal endorsement”—by inference, the only reliable products. In view of the action of the Franco-American Ferment Company, and of the tendency of their advertising to cause the public to exaggerate slight ailments into alarming conditions, the Council has voted that the several Lactobacilline products of this concern be deleted from New and Nonofficial Remedies.—(From The Journal A. M. A., April 17, 1915.)

REEXAMINATION OF LACTOPEPTINE [T]

Report to the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry

In 1907 the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry published a report on Lactopeptine. At that time it was shown that Lactopeptine did not have the composition claimed for it. The same claims as to composition are still being made for the product. In view of this fact, a second examination of Lactopeptine has been made and the result reported to the committee on chemistry. The report confirms the Council’s findings of six years ago. After adoption by the committee, it was adopted by the Council and its publication authorized.

W. A. Puckner, Secretary.

SECOND EXAMINATION OF LACTOPEPTINE

Two specimens of Lactopeptine in original unbroken packages were recently examined. One of these was an American preparation said to be produced by the New York Pharmaceutical Association at Yonkers and the other an English preparation from John Morgan Richards and Sons, London.

When Lactopeptine was first examined by the Council about six years ago, it was found to be little more than weak saccharated pepsin, and did not contain the other ferments which were claimed by the manufacturers to be present. A statement concerning this was published in the Council Reports for 1905–1908, p. 43. Because of claims recently made by the exploiters that this preparation contains not only pepsin but also pancreatin, diastase, lactic acid and hydrochloric acid, and that the failure to recognize these must be due to the lack of ability of the chemists making the examination, it seemed worth while to undertake a new series of tests on samples from two sources mentioned, the products on the British and American markets. The label on the British sample gives the following as the composition:

Sugar of Milk	40	ounces
Pepsin	8	ounces
Pancreatine	6	ounces
Ptyalin or Diastase	4	drachms
Lactic Acid	5	fl. drachms
Hydrochloric Acid	5	fl. drachms

The label on the American sample gives no quantities but states that it “represents a combination of the principal digestive and enzymogenic agents, Pepsin, Pancreatin, Diastase, Lactic and Hydrochloric Acids, in the proper proportion to insure best results.”

We have examined both preparations for starch-digesting power according to the methods employed in our previous examinations of such ferments and already reported. Diastase and the amylopsin of pancreatin seem to be completely absent, or, if present at all, in such minute traces that digestion of starch is not shown after one hour when quantities running from 60 mg. up to 150 mg. were allowed to act on 500 mg. of starch made up into paste. These tests were repeated, always with the same results, and were controlled by digestions of the same starch with other diastase preparations of known value.

Tryptic activity appears likewise to be absent, as in weak alkaline solution after fifteen hours’ digestion no effect on coagulated egg albumin or fibrin was observed when 100 mg. of each preparation was used with 1 gm. of the protein material.

As was found in the previous investigation the two products have some peptic activity, but this activity is comparatively weak, as about 200 mg. of each preparation are required to digest 10 gm. of coagulated egg albumin with 0.2 per cent. hydrochloric acid in three hours at 40 C. (104 F.), and 100 mg. portions were unable to completely digest 10 gm. portions of egg albumin with acid of the same strength in four hours at 50 C. (122 F.).

Hydrochloric acid is absent, as might be expected from the character of the preparation, and the amount of combined chlorid is small; but qualitative tests were obtained for organic acid resembling in behavior lactic acid, which is probably present in combined form.

It must be reaffirmed then that in digestive activity both the Lactopeptine purchased in the United States and that bought in England are essentially weak saccharated pepsins.

[Editorial Note.—The report of 1907 demonstrated that Lactopeptine was at that time a weak saccharated pepsin. The present report shows that Lactopeptine, as it is sold both in the United States and Great Britain, is still the same weak pepsin preparation. By the false statements which appear on the Lactopeptine labels the exploiters lay themselves liable to prosecution under the Food and Drugs Act—just as they have laid themselves liable for the past six years. The continued exploitation of this preparation warrants a restatement of facts that have been given many times before:

1. A preparation having the composition claimed for Lactopeptine—a powder containing pepsin, pancreatin, diastase, lactic acid and hydrochloric acid—cannot be produced commercially.

2. Even if such a combination were available, the acidity of the mixture itself and of the gastric juice would in all probability destroy the pancreatin before it could reach the intestinal tract.

3. Even if every constituent could exert its proper function at the right time, the administration of such a shotgun mixture would be unscientific and uncalled for.]—(From The Journal A. M. A., Aug. 2, 1913.)

MEAT AND BEEF JUICES [U]

Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry

The following was submitted to the Council by a subcommittee:

To the Council:—While meat extracts contain only traces of coagulable proteids and have little food value, meat juices are prepared by a process which ensures the presence in the finished product of considerable quantities of coagulable proteids and they therefore have considerable value as foods. Many preparations which are sold as beef juices or meat juices have no right to these designations. Since the public and physicians are likely to be misled by the names given to these products and by the false claims which are made for them as foods and depend on them in the nourishment of the sick, it is important that their composition and their value as foods should be known.

In the following report is presented the results of an examination of some of the commercial products found on the American market. The report shows that Wyeth’s Beef Juice (John Wyeth & Bro., Philadelphia), Bovinine (The Bovinine Co., New York), Carnine (Carnine Co., Fougera & Co., New York), and Valentine’s Meat Juice (M. J. Valentine, Richmond, Va.) are sold under names which are incorrect, that their composition is not correctly stated by the manufacturers and that false and misleading statements are made in regard to their value as food.

It is recommended that the products named be refused recognition for conflict with Rules 1, 6 and 8. Since these preparations are typical of many others on the market, and as their use is a menace to the public health it is recommended that the report be published.

This report was adopted by the Council.

W. A. Puckner, Secretary.

Beef or meat juices are clearly to be distinguished from beef or meat extracts. The word “juice” applies solely to the fluid portion remaining in fresh meat after proper cooling and storing and may be obtained by pressure or diffusion with or without a low degree of heat. Under heavy pressure freshly chopped meat will yield from 25 per cent. to 40 per cent. of a thick reddish juice and if the meat is previously frozen or heated to 60 C., as much as 50 per cent. may be obtained. This gives some idea as to the probable cost of preparing beef juice at home. The chief characteristics of meat juice are the presence of a considerable proportion of coagulable protein and a low content of meat bases. That above represents the nature of these commodities as usually understood by the medical profession, is clearly shown by this quotation:[57]

“One or two teaspoonfuls of this (meat juice) are added to a teacupful of cold or warm water, which, however, must not be boiling, or otherwise the albumin would be coagulated, but it may, however, be sufficiently warm to drink comfortably.”

Beef juice is considered by some physicians of much dietetic service and believed to represent liquid food in concentrated form. W. O. Atwater,[58] relative to this product says:

“Beef juice obtained from the best steak which has been merely warmed through over the coals and then entirely deprived of soluble substance by a screw press, is undoubtedly the most concentrated of the liquid foods.”

The latter authority gives a number of analyses of beef juices prepared under known conditions.

DEFINITION OF MEAT JUICE

Meat juice is defined by the standards committee of the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists as the fluid portion of muscle fiber obtained by pressure or otherwise, and may be concentrated by evaporation at a temperature below the coagulating point of the soluble protein. The solids contain not more than 15 per cent. of ash, not more than 2.5 per cent. of sodium chlorid (calculated from the total chlorin present), not more than 4 nor less than 2 per cent. of phosphoric acid (P₂O₅), and not less than 12 per cent. of nitrogen. The nitrogenous bodies contain not less than 35 per cent. of coagulable proteins and not more than 40 per cent. of meat bases.

Meat juices of commerce are supposed to be made by subjecting properly prepared meat to heavy pressure with subsequent concentration of the juice in vacuo at a low temperature. The latter is necessary because if the temperature is raised to any material extent the valuable coagulable, soluble proteins referred to above are precipitated and lost. In order to establish a basis of comparison relative to the composition of natural raw beef juice a number of samples were prepared under known conditions and submitted to analysis. The results contained in the subjoined table clearly show that meat juices made under known conditions vary according to the mode of preparation, but it is evident that practically one-half of the nitrogen is present as coagulable protein.

FOOD VALUES

In order to arrive at the food value of any commodity it is necessary to consider its chemical composition, available potential energy, absorbability, etc. On referring to the analytical table it will be found that the amount of inorganic material in meat juices Nos. 7 and 10 is unduly high. It appears that sodium chlorid, per se, has been added to both Bovinine and Wyeth’s Beef Juice probably as a preservative in the latter and for condimental purposes in the former. The relative and absolute proportions of phosphatic material in both products is excessive. The other constituents present in the ash are those usually found in meat products.

The amount of sugar and glycerin in Carnine is interesting. These agents may be added for preserving purposes, but the resulting product, on account of its syrupy appearance, leads to the belief and is so represented, that it is a concentrated food. Glycerin is also present in Bovinine and Valentine’s meat juice. Bovinine in addition contains about 8 per cent. alcohol.

The total nitrogen content of the trade products excepting Carnine, is greater than the amount of nitrogen present in meat juices proper, but the relative amount of nitrogen present as coagulable protein—the valuable part of meat juice—is much greater in the latter. In fact, the amount of coagulable protein present in Valentine’s Meat Juice may be considered nil, which indicates that an unduly high temperature is used in its preparation. In this connection it should also be noted that even a moderate elevation of temperature influences the chemical composition of meat juices. For example, the coagulable matter present in Nos. 3, 4 and 5, is approximately one-half that present in Nos. 1 and 2, which appears to indicate that the best product can be made without the use of any heat whatever. Several of the trade products, namely Nos. 7, 8 and 9, contain about as much coagulable material as meat juice made by heating beef to 60 C. According to the formula appearing in a circular of the Bovinine Company, a part of the coagulable matter is present in the form of egg albumin, but the company claims egg albumin is not used at present. In the case of Carnine, the coagulable matter appears to be introduced by the use of blood itself. The exact nature of the coagulable protein matter in Wyeth’s Beef Juice has not been ascertained. It is well known to manufacturers and physiologic chemists that it is practically impossible to manufacture a genuine meat juice possessing a reasonable amount of coagulable proteins, which is stable without a preservative.

Meat juices, in addition to the coagulable protein material, contain other protein bodies such as albumoses and peptones. These bodies are largely formed from the original protein bodies present in the meat juice during the process of manufacture. They are highly nutritious and largely and readily absorbed from the alimentary canal, but the amount of these bodies present in the trade products is relatively small excepting in Bovinine, which is not a meat juice, particularly when the high prices are considered.

A considerable proportion of the nitrogenous matter contained in Valentine’s and Wyeth’s products is present in the form of amino bodies frequently included in the general term, “extractives.” These bodies may be oxidized in the body and thus supply heat in a manner similar to alcohol, but it should be remembered that there still appears to be a wide difference of opinion among various observers on this point. Some appear to be of the opinion that the amino bodies are devoid of food value in that these bodies appear in the urine practically unchanged. It would, therefore, appear that the value of the amino bodies is largely of a stimulant character.

The food value of meat juices, therefore, resides largely, if not solely, in the coagulable and other protein material present. Comparing the calorific value or potential energy available in meat juices proper on this basis with that present in the commercial products, excluding Bovinine, it will be seen that on the average the genuine meat juices—that is, those made by pressure, direct from the meat itself as wanted—are much superior to the commercial products, notwithstanding the marked concentration in some cases. The calories given in the accompanying table do not include sugar, alcohol or any other added material of this character.

WYETH’S BEEF JUICE

“Wyeth’s Beef Juice” is not a true beef juice, but resembles rather a diluted meat extract. It contains much added inorganic matter, is low in coagulable proteins, and considering the degree of concentration, relatively deficient in nutritive value. Some of the claims contained in the circular accompanying this preparation, in view of its composition set forth above, may be of interest:

“Wyeth’s Beef Juice ..., containing two fluid ounces and representing three pounds of prime lean beef,...”

“... beef extracts made by the Liebig process are utterly devoid of the valuable and nutritious albuminous constituents of meat,...”

[Wyeth’s Beef Juice] “should not be compared with ordinary beef extract,...”

COMPOSITION OF MEAT JUICES

Column Headings:
2 = Per cent. volatile matter 100 C.
3 = Per cent. inorganic matter
4 = Per cent. sodium chlorid
5 = Per cent. phosphoric pentoxid (P₂O₅)
6 = Per cent. ether extract, glycerol and undetermined matter
7 = Per cent. total nitrogen
8 = Per cent. coagulable proteins (N × 6.25)
9 = Per cent. other proteins (N × 6.25)
10 = Amino bodies (N × 3.12)
11 = Calories per 500 gm. obtained from protein factor 4.8
12 = Calories per 500 gm. obtained from amino bodies factor 0.56

Name of Preparation	2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		11		12
Trade Products:
Chuck beef, cold pressed	86	.85	1	.86		.20		.31	1	.32	1	.74	6	.13	2	.94		.90	217	.68	2	.52
Round beef, cold pressed	85	.76	1	.53		.12		.37		.75	2	.08	8	.56	2	.37	1	.03	262	.32	2	.88
Chuck beef pressed at 60 C.	91	.90	1	.29		.19		.29		.81	1	.09	2	.56	2	.50		.84	121	.44	2	.35
Chuck beef pressed at 60 C.	89	.56	1	.27		.16		.37	2	.98	1	.09	3	.00	2	.63		.56	135	.12	1	.57
Round beef pressed at 60 C.	90	.65	1	.36		.16		.36	2	.09	1	.16	4	.25		.31	1	.34	109	.44	3	.75
Chuck beef heated six hours before pressing 60–100 C.	98	.11		.39		.05		.12		.25		.24	....		1	.00		.25	24	.00		.70
Made in Laboratory:
Beef Juice, John Wyeth & Bro., Philadelphia, Pa.	58	.84	16	.21	6	.71	3	.27	12	.51	3	.15*	2	.88	3	.56	6	.00	154	.56	16	.80
Bovinine, The Bovinine Co., 75 W. Houston St., New York City	80	.40‡	1	.55	1	.05		.09	3	.64‖	2	.36	3	.38	10	.75		.28	339	.12		.78
Carmine Co., Lefranco, Paris, France; Imported by Fougera & Co., Agents, New York City	24	.80§		.86		.09		.33	68	.94¶		.96	2	.25	2	.56		.59	115	.44	1	.65
Meat Juice, M. J. Valentine, Richmond, Va.	57	.64	10	.26	1	.77	3	.41	20	.41#	3	.06†		.19	5	.44	6	.06	135	.12	16	.97

*: Including 0.20 per cent. as NH₃; ‡: 8.17 per cent. alcohol found; ‖: 3.1 per cent. glycerol found; §: vacuum 70 C.; ¶: 47.50 per cent. cane sugar—14.2 per cent. glycerol found; #: 8 per cent. of glycerol found. †: including 0.22 per cent. NH₃;

The several samples of beef juice were prepared from practically fat free, finely comminuted, chuck and round beef, first by pressure at the ordinary temperature; second, by heating the prepared meat for several hours at 60 C., then submitting to pressure. Sample No. 6 was made from chuck beef, prepared as above, by heating six hours at from 60 to 100 C., and expressing after cooling. It is not a beef juice proper but was prepared, analyzed and added to the list for information. Its composition resembles several commercial articles closely. A number of products represented and sold as meat juice in the United States were analyzed and the results recorded in the accompanying table.

BOVININE

Bovinine, advertised as a “condensed beef juice prepared by a cold process” is a mixture of alcohol, glycerin, added sodium chlorid, and apparently some form of defibrinated blood. According to the manufacturer’s literature egg albumin was used formerly but this ingredient is said to be no longer employed. It is not a meat juice in any sense of the word. Numerous misrepresentations will be found on the label and in the literature of Bovinine, of which the following are typical:

“The blood of selected steers prepared by a cold process, furnishing a perfect food, free from insoluble elements.”

“The rapidity with which Bovinine is absorbed and assimilated in the stomach ...”

“It supplies complete nutrition to the patient.”

“Bovinine contains all the elements of the animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms for the production of new blood with great rapidity. Its principal constituents have been selected with a view to furnish the largest amount of nutriment in the most condensed form and all the resources of modern chemical analysis have been brought to bear on this important problem.”

A series of experiments carried out with dogs under anesthesia, by injecting Bovinine into the stomach, the pyloric end of which was ligated, shows that Bovinine is not readily absorbed and assimilated by the stomach as claimed. The amount of protein material found in the stomach at the end of one-half hour to one hour and a quarter was practically equal to the amount introduced by the Bovinine.

It is also represented that Bovinine is of great service in case of an irritable stomach. This is not borne out by experiment. Bovinine fed to dogs by the mouth, either alone or mixed with food, induced vomiting, which was less marked when Bovinine was given with the regular diet. An examination of the urine of these animals showed a marked diminution of the amount of indican, while the ethereal sulphates were enormously increased, both absolutely and relatively, when Bovinine was given. Experiments on rabbits have shown that Bovinine injected into the peritoneal cavity was invariably followed by large quantities of albumin in the urine, which persisted for from twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Thirty to 50 c.c. per kilo given by mouth daily caused emaciation and weakness; in some cases, irritation of the gastro-intestinal canal, with death of the animal in from seven to twelve days.

CARNINE

Carnine is a French preparation imported into the United States by Fougera & Co., of New York City. In physical appearance it looks like highly concentrated food, but analysis shows that it consists of a small proportion of defibrinated blood dissolved in a mixture of syrup and glycerol, the whole agreeably flavored. It is represented as a “juice of rare meat, prepared by cold process. Each tablespoonful represents 100 gm. of raw meat, or 3¹⁄₂ ounces.” It is clear that Carnine is not a meat juice in any sense of the word.

VALENTINE’S MEAT JUICE

Valentine’s Meat Juice resembles in physical appearance taste, odor and by chemical analysis a diluted meat extract. The nutritive value of meat extracts is virtually nil, as is well known by the medical profession. Notwithstanding the composition of Valentine’s Meat Juice and the fact that beef extract represents little nutritive value, the manufacturer makes the following misleading representations:

“The two-ounce oval bottle, adopted for the Meat Juice contains the concentrated juice of four pounds of the best beef, exclusive of fat; or the condensed essence of one and a half pints of pure liquid juice which is obtained from the flesh of beef.”

“The use of hot water with the Meat Juice changes its character and impairs its value.” [Italics in original.—Ed.]

The company must certainly be aware of the fact that its product contains little, if any, coagulable proteids.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion: Neither Bovinine nor Carnine is a meat juice, the former is anything but palatable and the latter soon cloys. “Valentine’s Meat Juice” and “Wyeth’s Beef Juice” are virtually diluted meat extracts, which are known to possess little food value. A physician depending on any of the foregoing products to supply material nourishment, in case of serious illness, is deceiving himself, starving his patients, and may be lessening their chances for recovery. If a patient recovers while using these commodities, it is certainly not due to the food value contained in them—(From The Journal A. M. A., Nov. 20, 1909.)

VALENTINE’S MEAT JUICE [V]

Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry

Some time ago the Council authorized publication of a report[V] dealing with the composition and claims made for a number of the more generally advertised meat and beef juices. Among these was Valentine’s Meat Juice. This it was shown was sold under an incorrect name, the claims for its composition were not truthfully stated and its exploiters made false and misleading claims in regard to its food value. As Valentine’s Meat Juice is still widely advertised the referee in charge of this class of products deemed a reexamination of the product advisable. This was made and on it was based the following report which has been submitted to the Council, adopted, and its publication authorized.

W. A. Puckner, Secretary.

Your referee has had examined recently purchased specimens of Valentine’s Meat Juice (Valentine’s Meat Juice Company, Richmond, Va.). The examination shows that it has virtually the same composition as that given in the report of the Council “Meat and Beef Juices” published in The Journal, Nov. 20, 1909. It contains practically no coagulable protein material, one of the products characteristic of a meat juice. It is essentially a diluted meat extract.

The following statement found in former circulars now seems to have been eliminated:

An endeavor is still made, however, to convey the idea that the product contains coagulable protein, as shown by the following:

“Boiling water changes the character of the preparation.”

“The use of boiling water with the Meat-Juice changes the character of the Preparation.”

The proprietors undoubtedly know that the product does not contain any coagulable material and that the statements just quoted are plain misrepresentations.

The advertising circular contains a large number of “Testimonials of the Medical Profession.” As all are undated, one cannot tell how old these testimonials are. One physician recommends it highly for hypodermic use; another says, “I have kept cases on it and it alone for days, without attempting to give any other food, and the results have been entirely satisfactory.” According to another, it is “most invaluable in typhoid fever and also in diphtheria.”

Valentine’s Meat Juice conflicts with the following rules of the Council:

Rule 1, in that its composition is not correctly given;

Rule 6, in that unwarranted therapeutic claims are made, the profession being led to believe that the product is highly nutritious and is valuable in the treatment of pneumonia, diphtheria and typhoid fever;

Rule 8, in that the name is objectionable, for while sold as a meat juice, in reality it has the character of a meat extract.

Valentine’s Meat Juice is a fraud on the public, and in view of its continued exploitation under false claims, the referee recommends that the Council reiterate its former condemnation and authorize the publication of this report.

[Editor’s Note.—The difference between meat extracts and meat juices was fully discussed in the previous report of the Council, Meat “juices” are made by the cold expression of meat with subsequent evaporation, in such a way that the nutritious coagulable proteins remain in solution. In making meat “extracts,” heat is used which almost completely removes the coagulable proteins and thus renders it practically devoid of nutrient qualities.

A list of some of the medical journals that carry advertisements of Valentine’s Meat Juice, follows:

Pediatrics	Virginia Medical Semi-Monthly
Old Dominion Journal of Medicine & Surgery	Medical Times
Old Dominion Journal of Medicine & Surgery	American Medicine.]
Medical World	—(From The Journal A. M. A., May 2, 1914.)