STUDIES OF ENZYMES AS POSSIBLE FACTORS IN 

 THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDEMA 



I. Further comment on Fischer's theory of edema 



WILLIAM J. GIES 



{Lahoratory of Biological Chemistry of Columbia University, at the College 

 of Physicians and Surgeons, New York) 



Professor Fischer's paper in this number of the Biochemical 

 Bulletin^ is a very gratifying addition to the Hterature on the 

 " collochemical theory of water absorption by protoplasm." It re- 

 moves much of the doubt that existed vvhen my "questions" were 

 raised.^ 



Fischer and I are in accord in our views on the following main 

 propositions : 



1. The hydrophilic colloids of the tissues, and the State in which 

 they exist, determine in large pari the amount of water held by the 

 tissues under various physiological and pathological conditions 

 (Fischer, page 444).^ 



2, Fischer states that " the accumulation of acids within the tis- 

 sues, brought about either through their abnormal production or 

 through the inadequate removal of such as some consider normally 

 produced in the tissues, is chiefly responsable (in edema) for the 

 (abnormal) increase in the affinity of the colloids for water" (page 

 445). We agree that it is not " acid as acid" which accomplishes 

 such results (page 454).'* 



Fischer concludes that the responsible acid "may neutralize 



^ Fischer : Biochemical Bulletin, 1912, i, p. 444. 



'Gies: Ibid., 191 1, i, p. 305. 



' Page numerals in parenthesis in this paper indicate pages in this number of 

 the Biochemical Bulletin. 



*At one place in his remarks Fischer states (page 448) that "acid salts act 

 like acids. In the presence of an excess of an alkaline material (e. g., in blood 

 and lymph) the acid or the acid salts are converted into neutral salts and then 

 the hody colloids under consideration are no longer swelling in the presence 

 of an acid." 



461 



