The reference to the work of Sherman is made because, in a following paper in the same journal, he recommends the use of salt as an activator in finding the strength of certain diastase preparations. It is well known that dialyzed diastase preparations and starch of highest purity have but slight action on each other; a little salt increases the activity greatly, and also increases the activity of commercial diastase preparations. These facts Sherman utilizes in working out a method for valuation of commercial diastases. The facts were well known to us at the time of our former report, but it was not thought best to depart from the general method which had been in use by all analysts following the general scheme of Roberts. Quite recently, I. Bang has published a paper on the investigation of diastase (_Biochem. Ztschr._, xxxii, 417) in which he studies the behavior of sodium chlorid and other salts on the rapidity of starch conversion, and finds that a much smaller amount of salt than Sherman recommends brings the maximum increase. The method employed in our former tests is a good comparative method, and this is all that may be claimed at present for any method. By adding salt to our starch solution the activity of Panase and other ferments is likewise greatly increased. For Panase, a preparation possessing rather high starch-converting power, we have recently found an increase of about 30 per cent. in the converting power, with salt present. Working to loss of blue color, merely, it is possible in this way to get a higher value than that claimed by the manufacturer. There is no practical gain in using the salt for our purpose as the methods are at best arbitrary, and the results only comparative. Taking all the facts into consideration, it is recommended that the rejection of Taka-Diastase and Liquid Taka-Diastase be allowed to stand and that, in view of their extensive exploitation, this report be authorized for publication so that physicians may know the facts. This report was referred to Parke, Davis & Co., and they made the following reply: “The report submitted in your letter of the 23d is, we contend, erroneous and unjust: first, to our Liquid Taka-Diastase, because over three years ago we changed our formula, reducing the alcohol from 18 per cent. to 10 per cent., increasing the glycerin and thus prolonging greatly the period of activity.