98 DROSERA ROTUNDIFOLIA. CHAP. VI 



the experiment was successful. For in a vessel con- 

 taining two cubes, both were reduced in size in 3 hrs. ; 

 and after 24 hrs. mere streaks of undissolved albu- 

 men were left. In a second vessel, containing two 

 minute ragged bits of albumen, both were likewise 

 reduced in size in 3 hrs., and after 24 hrs. completely 

 disappeared. I then added a little weak hydro- 

 chloric acid to both vessels, and placed fresh cubes 

 of albumen in them ; but these were not acted on. 

 This latter fact is intelligible according to the high 

 authority of Schiff,* who has demonstrated, as he 

 believes, in opposition to the view held by some 

 physiologists, that a certain small amount of pepsin 

 is destroyed during the act of digestion. So that if 

 my solution contained, as is probable, an extremely 

 small amount of the ferment, this would have been 

 consumed by the dissolution of the cubes of albumen 

 first given ; none being left when the hydrochloric 

 acid was added. The destruction of the ferment 

 during the process of digestion, or its absorption after 

 the albumen had been converted into a peptone, will 

 also account for only one out of the three latter sets 

 of experiments having been successful. 



Digestion of Roast Meat. Cubes of about -^ of an 

 inch (1/27 mm.) of moderately roasted meat were 

 placed on five leaves which became in 12 hrs. closely 

 inflected. After 48 hrs. I gently opened one leaf, and 

 the meat now consisted of a minute central sphere, 

 partially digested and surrounded by a thick envelope 

 of transparent viscid fluid. The whole, without being 

 much disturbed, was removed and placed under the 

 microscope. In the central part the transverse striae 

 on the muscular fibres were quite distinct; and it was 



'LcQons pbvs. de la Digestion,' 18G7, torn. ii. pp. 114-12G. 



