27 



undergo internal oxidation and reduction, some of the 

 carbon atoms going off as carbon dioxide while others 

 are reduced to — CHi — groups. Such internal oxidation 

 and reduction was probably the process by which petro- 

 leum oil was formed from cellulose, the prevailing theory 

 that it was formed from marine life being plainly un- 

 tenable. This process of internal oxidation and reduc- 

 tion takes place spontaneously at moderate temperatures 

 and pressures provided the medium is slightly alkaline, 

 as in the presence of free calcium carbonate. If unsatu- 

 rated fatty acids of the type — CH=CH— COOH are 

 formed in this manner, and they are acted upon by am- 

 monia, or by oxides of nitrogen followed by reducing 

 agents, it is possible that alpha amino acids or their an- 

 hydrides (diketopiperazines and polypeptides) may be 

 formed. 



N. B. — Much prominence has been given during recent years 

 to a system of protein structure consisting of polypeptide chains 

 folded into six-atom rings, with intermediate -CO-CHR-NH- 

 groups between successive rings. Although this folded poly- 

 peptide structure is usually accredited to W. T. Astbury, it was 

 puhlished hy the writer in 1930, and is covered hy a 1930 copy- 

 right owned hy the writer. Attention is directed to the diagrams 

 on page 33 of the writer's book on Spirazines, disclosing this iden- 

 tical structure. 



There have also been numerous articles on a ''cyclol" sys- 

 tem of protein structure in which the polypeptide chains are 

 folded into triangular clusters with central triazine rings. Al- 

 though this cyclol pattern is generally accredited to Dorothy 

 M. Wrinch of Oxford, it was puhlished hy the ivriter in 1931, 

 and is covered hy a 1931 copyright owned hy the writer. At- 

 tention is directed to the diagrams on pages 44 and 45 of the 

 writer's book, "Can Science Explain Life?," disclosing the 

 cyclol pattern in every detaU. 



The reader is therefore urged not to summarily reject this 

 new spiral system of protein structure, just because it is not 

 generally recognized in the authoritative literature of today. 

 Those systems which are being recognized were originated by 

 the writer, so that it should be the writer's privilege now to dis- 

 card them in favor of a better system. 



