76 SCIENCE PROGRESS. 



(ii.) Amido-acids. Of these leucine, amido- valerianic 

 (butalanine), amido-succinic (aspartic), and amido-pyrotar- 

 taric (glutaminic) acids have been isolated. 



(iii.) Aromatic bodies, tyrosine or oxyphenyl-alanine. 

 It is thus seen how closely these results correspond with 

 those obtained by artificial decomposition. 



Within the intestine many changes occur which have 

 been found due to decompositions under the influence of 

 bacterial action. The same products, as above enumerated, 

 are first formed, but by further and different changes other 

 bodies rapidly arise. Of these we may mention — indol, skatol, 

 skatol-carbonic acid, oxyphenyl propionic acid, oxyphenyl- 

 acetic acid, phenyl propionic and phenyl-acetic acids, para- 

 kresol and phenol, and as simpler bodies carbonic anhydride, 

 water, ammonia, hydrogen, and sulphuretted hydrogen, in 

 addition to amido-acids of the fatty series and the fatty 

 acids themselves. 



In this case certainly the most interesting point to note 

 is the production of so many derivatives containing the 

 benzene nucleus. The indol group has never been obtained 

 from a proteid molecule by any other method. 



T. Gregor Brodie. 



