BERLIN

The Vitamin Content of Mushrooms  Mushrooms are regarded as an excellent food, and it is a matter of regret that this low-priced fruit of the woods plays such an insignificant part in the diet of the people. But the physiologist cannot endorse without reservations this praise bestowed on mushrooms by reason of their nutritiveness. The protein content is not as great as is generally assumed, so that the flavor, which is important for nutrition, is doubtless the most essential argument in favor of their use. However, through recent research of Professor Scheunert and Dr. Reschke, a new factor in the estimation of the value of mushrooms—the vitamin content—has been added. These two investigators examined some of the best known species of mushrooms (pfifferling, maronenröhrling, steinpilz and grünling) in order to determine what amount of the various vitamins they contained. The mushrooms were fed to young rats, and observations were made