464 Enzymes as Factors in Edema [Mar. 



ence of the associated sol proteins.^^ The results also Warrant the 

 provisional inference that the circulating sol proteins would attract 

 (and by osmosis obtain) acid of intracellular origin from any com- 

 bination there existing with either intracellular gel proteins or the 

 intracellular sol proteins, or both."^^ In the experiments performed 

 by Goodridge, our protein Solutions were analogous to natural cir- 

 culating liquids containing sol proteins {e. g., blood, lymph, intra- 

 cellular fluid) and the fibrin was comparable to the gel proteins in 

 cells and tissues. The greater affinity of the sol proteins for water, 

 after treatment with acid, was apparent in all our experiments. 

 For the very reason that the protein liquids which received and com- 

 bined acid were rendered edematous by the treatment^ and refused 

 to give up water to the immersed gel proteins (fibrin, eye), we be- 

 lieved circulating lymph and blood would tend to keep cells from 

 hecoming edematous by removing acid from the cells as fast as it 

 would form. We were suggesting that the circulating and inter- 

 stitial sol proteins, by becoming edematous locally and moving away, 

 would prevent edema in the cells. This was the significance of the 

 following sentence with which Fischer concludes his quotation from 

 our remarks in this connection (page 452) : "After their treatment 

 with 0.05 to 0.2 per cent. hydrochloric acid Solution to effect their 

 maximum absorption of water, enucleated eyes and fibrin masses 

 were immersed in comhined acid Solutions (Witte peptone in 0.2 to 

 2.0 per cent. hydrochloric acid Solution) ,^^ where they promptly lost 

 all the water they Ivad previously absorhed from the free acid Solu- 

 tion and soon returned to the original dimensions."^^ I have also 

 believed that although accumidation of acid of intracellular origin 

 might be prevented by lymph and blood, yet intracellular hydrolases 



" To this remark Fischer replies that he " still maintains that it would." 

 (See the next footnote.) 



" To this remark, which is a direct continuation of the preceding one in 

 the original, Fischer responds : " We would write a question mark after the 

 word 'osmosis.' With the rest we agree." (See the preceding footnote). 



'"* These liquids had been rendered edematous. They were similar to 

 circulating blood and lymph in their capacity to combine with acid and attract 

 water. 



''When Fischer says (page 457) "the connective tissue contains an increased 

 amount of water," he does not answer this question asked of him : " Are the 

 fibrillce of an edematous connective tissue bloated"? 



