i9ii] William J. Gies 3^5 



The intimate and essential relationshlps which exist between 

 water and the colloids in organisms have never before been so thor- 

 oughly considered or so effectively studied. That intracellular 

 hydrophilic coordinations are among the most important function- 

 ally in protoplasm has long been evident to all students of cellular 

 and tissue chemistry.^^ Fischer's book and papers on this subject 

 give emphasis and impart definiteness to views that have been enter- 

 tained in many quarters but which have not been clearly or system- 

 atically formulated. 



Fischer's book is an enthusiastic, earnest, comprehensive, able 

 and interesting presentation of a new and stimulating outlook in a 

 perplexing field. His initiative is bold, his familiarity with collo- 

 chemistry is intimate, his terms are trenchant, and his pleading is 

 persuasive. His work deserves unstinted praise. His results will 

 receive widespread attention in medical circles. Although his con- 

 clusions will arouse Opposition, his findings will quicken interest in 

 edema, and will encourage discussion and ultimately will increase 

 greatly our understanding of this very important subject. 



Fischer agrees with Loeb in "placing the problem of edema in 

 the tissues." Fischer attributes edema, wherever it occurs, to the 

 collective influence of the organic acids which, in a given case, result 

 locally from subnormal oxidation. Dissenting from Loeb's os- 

 motic explanation of the way in which such acid induces local 

 accumulation of water, Fischer emphasizes the power of acid to 

 increase the "affinity of (tissue) colloids for water," and refers 

 the whole of edema to this particular influence. 



Lactic acid, in Fischer's view, is the responsible acid in the pro- 

 duction of edema. One is surprised, therefore, to find that lactic 

 acid does not figure in the summaries of Fischer's experimental 

 data. Fischer's experiments involved treatment of colloids and 

 tissues with large and excessive volumes of stagnant acid Solutions. 

 He does not show that sufficient organic acid has ever been produced 

 in a given case of edema to cause directly the water accumulation 

 and the swelling observed. What is the reaction of juice suitably 

 obtained from a typical edematous tissue ? Does such liquid contain 

 lactic acid in the free State? Does a fluid of this kind have the 



*"Gies: Biochemical Bulletin, 1911, i, p. 68. 



