Beard, On the Occurrence of Dextro-rotatory Albumins in Organic Nature. | ;Y> 



they are themselves to be regarded as optically active and thus 

 asymmetrical molecular structures. That has led to the hypothesis, 

 that between enzyme and its object of attack a similarity of molecular 

 configuration must exist, if a reaction shall ensue. 1) In order to 

 make this thought intuitive, I have used the simile of lock and 

 key 2) 4 )." Further, on p. 84 we read: "If one carry this over to 

 the chemical processes of the higher developed organisms, one 

 arrives at the conception, that generally in the transformations, by 

 which the proteid stuff's function in active masses, as undoubtedly 

 that is the case in protoplasm, the configuration of the molecule 

 frequently plays just as great a role as its structure. For this 

 reason it is no longer astonishing, that of two stereo-isomeric sub- 

 stances the one reacts strongly upon our sense organs, such as 

 taste and smell, while the other is quite indifferent, or produces a 

 very much weakened reaction 5 )." 



In the foregoing citations there are two things, to which I 

 would direct special attention. The first is the repeated emphasis, 

 which the author lays upon the use and value of ferments as 

 reagents for the determination of stereochemical differences, and 

 the other the number of experiments, to wit two, from the positive 

 results of which the investigator maintained the establishment of 

 his thesis, that "of two molecular looking-glass-image forms the 

 one is broken up by enzymes under the same conditions, under 

 which the other remains intact". It may suffice for an embryo- 

 logist, who is not a stereochemist, to refer to the works and 

 researches of this distinguished chemist, Emil Fischer, for the 

 scientific reasons for the employment of enzymes or ferments as 

 testing agents. As to the second point to be noted, Fischer's two 

 experiments in proof of his thesis remind one of Pasteur's words 

 "If a doctrine be challenged, it happens seldom that its truth or 

 falsehood cannot be established bv some crucial test. Even a single 



* 



experiment will often suffice either to refute or to consolidate the 

 doctrine". In the following, as proving to the hilt the truth of my 

 thesis, that dextro-rotatory albumins occur, and, indeed, are widely 

 represented in organic nature, several experiments and their positive 

 results will be adduced. Here it may be added, that the cases 

 described under the experiments are only a few, taken at random, 

 merely because the organisms dealt with happened to be accessible 

 readily, and that the number can be increased to any extent desired, 

 on due cause being shown. He, who may feel inclined to contra- 

 dict the thesis, can by taking the trouble to repeat and extend my 



4) The references under 1 & 2 are to Vol. 27 of the Ber. d. d. chera. Gesellsch., 

 p. 2036 & 2992 respectively. 



5) Fischer, Emil. ,,Bedeutung der Stereochemie fiir die Physiologic", in: 

 Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chemie, V. 26, p. 60-87, 189899. 



