Research Reports: (1956)
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REPORT OF RESEARCH AND INVESTIGATION 1956 UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE REPORT OF RESEARCH AND INVESTIGATION 1956 UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE A summary of departmental research activities and investigations, including published contributions to science and literature, during the Research Year, i March 1956 to 28 February 1957 PREFACE The following statements show the expenditure from University research funds in the twelve months ended 31 December 1956 and list the donations to the University in excess of £500 for the same period. Expenditure from Research Funds in 1956 1. From General Fund Grants— To the Research Committee £57,853 To the Medical Research Committee £20,437 Other Grants £2,693 £80,983 2. From State Government Special Grants £25,567 3. From Commonwealth Government Special Grants £65,418 4. From University Trust Funds £26,464 5. From Other Sources— Commonwealth Bank Grants £12,563 Anti-Cancer Council Grants £10,285 H. J. Heinz Co. Pty. Ltd. Grant £4,958 Other Sources £49,078 — £76,884 £275,316 Donations exceeding £500 received in 1956 for Research Commonwealth Bank of Australia Rural Credits Fund .. .. £11,715 Agriculture, Biochemistry, Botany, For estry and Physiology Departments for 1957 Economic and Financial Research Fund 3,220 Commerce and Economics Departments Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria 10,349 Biochemistry, Chemistry, Obstetrics, Pathology and Physiology Departments Estate of the late J. S. Feehan 10,000 Research purposes The Argus' 5,116 Professor S. D. Rubbo's tuberculosis research Kraft Foods Lid 3,300 Bacteriology Department Dr A. E. Rowden White . 2,000 A. E. Rowden White and Edward R. White Foundation 1,000 Professor S. D. Rubbo's tuberculosis research North Broken Hill Ltd 2,625 Metallurgy Research Department Electrolytic Zinc Co. of Australia Ltd 2,625 Metallurgy Research Department Dominion Builders Pty. Ltd. 2,500 i Overseas travel grant for a research Cartels Pty. Ltd 2,500 j- worker Nuffield Foundation 2,250 Biochemistry and Physics Departments Australian Paper Manufacturers Ltd 2,000 Research Fellowship in Forestry Life Insurance Medical Fund . 2,000 Pathology Department Zinc Corporation Ltd 2,000 Metallurgy Department Broken Hill South Ltd 1,750 Metallurgy Research Department I.C.I.A.N.Z. Ltd 1,600 Research Fellowships Monsanto Chemicals (Aust.) Ltd. 1,500 Botany and Physiology Departments and Research Scholarship Nicholas Pty. Ltd. 1,500 Pharmacology Department Victoria Racing Club 1,500 Pharmacology Department Broadcasting Control Board 1,310 Pre-Tclevision Social Survey Anonymous 1,162 Stanford Writing Scholarship Dunlop Rubber Australia Ltd. 1,000 Research Scholarships Thomas Baker, Alice Baker and Eleanor Shaw Benefactions . 1,000 Phvsics Department Cyclotron H. W. Woods Pty. Ltd 1,000 Pharmacology Department Country Roads Board .. 892 Fellowship Vacuum Oil Co. Pty. Ltd. 800 Research Scholarship Rylands Brothers (Aust.) Ptv. Ltd .. 750 Research Scholarship Mr Baillieu Myer 600 Supplementary grant for Travelling Scholar Mr Kenneth Myer 600 Supplementary grant for Travelling Scholar £82,144 The Research Report -an annual summary of departmental research activities and investigations, including published contri butions to science and literature —was published in the University of Melbourne Calendar up to the Calendar for 1950, which contained the Report for the 1948 research year. Commencing with the issue for the 1949 research year, the Report has been published annually as a separate volume entitled Report of Research and Investigation, and has been edited by N. H. Olver, Research Secretary. J. S. ROGERS Dean of Graduate Studies CONTENTS AGRICULTURE i ARCHITECTURE 8 ARTS Classical Studies 11 English 14 Fine Arts 16 French 19 Germanic Languages 21 History 27 History and Philosophy of Science 34 Mathematics .. .. 36 Philosophy .. .. .. 39 Political Science 42 Psychology 44 Russian 47 Semitic Studies 49 Statistics 50 SOCIAL STUDIES 58 DENTAL SCIENCE 60 ECONOMICS AND COMMERCE Accounting .. 66 Commerce .. 70 Economic History .. 72 Economics .. 74 Economic Research .. .. 76 Industrial Relations 79 EDUCATION 80 ENGINEERING Civil Engineering .. 87 Electrical Engineering .. 92 Mechanical Engineering 95 Metallurgy and Baillieu Laboratory . 97 Mining .. .. .. 108 Surveying .. .. 111 TOWN AND REGIONAL PLANNING 113 LAW .. .. .. .. ..114 CRIMINOLOGY .119 MEDICINE Anatomy .. .. .. .. ..122 Bacteriology . .. .. ..129 Biochemistry .. 136 Experimental Medicine 145 Obstetrics and Gynaecology .. .. .. 152 Pathology .. .. 157 Pharmacology 168 Physiology .. .. ..176 Surgery .. .. .. 186 SCIENCE Botany .. .. .. .. 187 Chemistry .. .. .. 192 Forestry .. .. .. .. 214 Geology .. .. ..218 Meteorology 226 Physics .. 229 Zoology .. -237 Microscopy Laboratory .. 240 VETERINARY SCIENCE 241 Audio-Visual Aids .. .. .. 244 Senior Doctorates .. .. 245 Name Index 246 ABBREVIATIONS The abbreviations of thc titles of journals used in the lists of Published Work, arc based on those given in 'World List of Scientific Periodicals published in the Years 1900-1950' (3rd edition, 1952) AGRICULTURE Head of Department: Professor Sir Samuel Wadham (retired 28 February 1Q57) Professor H. C. Forster STAFF Full-time Officers Professor SIR SAMUEL MacMAHON WADHAM, M.A. (Cantab, and Melb.), LL.D., Agr.Dip. (Cantab.) (Retired 28 February 1957) Professor HOWARD CARLYLE FORSTER, Ph.D. (Iowa), M.Agr.Sc. (Appointed 1 March 1957) Associate Professor GEOFFREY WINTHROP LEEPER, M.Sc. Reader in Physiology oj Domestic Animals, DEREK EDWARD TRIBE, B.Sc. (Agric.) (R'ding), Ph.D. (Aberd.) Senior Lecturer in Agricultural Engineering, GILBERT HOWARD VASEY, B.C.E., A.I.M.E.Aust. Senior Lecturer in Agricultural Biochemistry,- FRANCIS JOHN RAYMOND HIRD, Ph.D. (Cantab.), M.Agr.Sc. Lecturer, YVONNE AITKEN, M.Agr.Sc. Senior Research Officers Agricultural Engineering: JACK RAYMOND PHILLIPS, B.Mech.E., A.M.I.M.E} ROBERT JAMES DE LAINE, B.C.E.t + With the assistance of the Commonwealth Bank. During 1956, research under the Faculty was carried out in diverse directions and at numerous places. Some workers were housed in other Departments at the University, e.g. Biochemistry and Chemistry, others carried on much of their work in association with Research Stations of the State Department of Agriculture or on farms in various parts of the state. This dispersal is inevitable in the case of a Faculty concerned with various practical aspects of agriculture. A. AGRICULTURAL BIOCHEMISTRY (1) Kinetic Aspects of the Uptake of Amino Acids by Intestinal Tissue Workers: L. R. Finch (Department of Biochemistry) and F. J. R. Hird (Departments of Biochemistry and Agriculture) Work on the absorption of amino acids has been continued. The uptake of L-histidine by intestinal tissue has been studied in detail and found to obey Michaelis-Menten kinetics. With the exception of lysine, arginine and ornithine Michaelis constants, of the amino acids, calculated from their ability to inhibit the uptake of L-histidine are in agreement with their Michaelis constants determined by their rates of uptake. It is concluded from this and other evidence that these amino acids share a common mechanism for uptake by the tissue. Experiments with metabolic inhibitors and the above experi- 1 2 FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE ments suggest that the basic amino acid L-lysine is not taken up by an active process. The more lipophilic amino acids have higher affinities and slower maximum rates than the less lipophilic amino acids. The work is being continued. (2) The Uptake of Amino Acids by Plant Tissue Workers: L. M. Birt (Department of Biochemistry) and F. J. R. Hird (Departments of Biochemistry and Agriculture) The work on the carrier process involved in the accumulation of amino acids by slices of carrot has been continued. Kinetic aspects of the process have been investigated and the relative affinities of certain of the amino acids for the uptake process have been deter mined. The highest affinities are possessed by the lipophilic amino acids. There is substantial metabolism of L-aspartic acid, L-glutamic acid, L-alanine and L-phenylalanine. Experiments with the 14C labelled compound show that carbon atoms i, 2 and 3 of phenyla lanine are metabolized to carbon dioxide, an indication that this tissue can open and metabolize the benzene ring of this amino acid. The work is being continued. (3) The Absorption of Amino Acids by Intestinal Tissue of the Rat Workers: F. J. R. Hird and G. S. Sidhu (Departments of Bio chemistry and Agriculture) The work has been continued. Twin loops of small intestine have been 'perfused' in vivo. Using this system of upper and lower loops in the one rat it has been found that the absorption of L-histidine is inhibited by L-methionine but not by either D-methionine or L-glutamic acid. These results are similar to those found with absorp tion by ligatcd loops in vivo, transfer by isolated loops and uptake by isolated segments. It has, therefore, been concluded that the use of the more convenient system — uptake by segments — gives useful information about the mechanism of absorption in the intact animal. (4) Uptake and Transfer of Amino Acids by Epithelial Tissue from the Rumen of the Sheep Workers: F. J. R. Hird and D. A. Thomas (Departments of Bio chemistry and Agriculture) The work has been continued. The following results have been obtained with this tissue. L-histidine is taken up at a greater rate than the D isomer; L-amino acids inhibit the uptake of L-histidine to a much greater extent than the corresponding D-amino acids; the metabolic inhibitors - dinitrophenol, iodoacetate,