I9I2] Frank R. Eider and William J. Gies 545 



be a true measure of the amount of absorbed and retained water. 

 The proteases effect a certain amount of cleavage as the experiment 

 proceeds, the density and viscosity of the surrounding Hquid increase 

 with its progress, and the particles settle out less compactly as a 

 consequence. The figure for bulk, as read from the calibration, is 

 much greater, therefore, than the real value. On the other band, 

 since digestive Solution takes place in such mixtures, the dissolved 

 matter is lost from the particles. The amount of absorbed water as 

 calculated from filtrate obtained is, accordingly, the quantity re- 

 tained only by the undissolved portion of the original protein mass. 

 These sources of obvious error influence the data in opposite direc- 

 tions. We have recorded the corresponding values obtained by both 

 methods. The indications are seen to be identical in principle. 



In Table i the differences between the 6 hr. and 15 hr. readings 

 for mass of swollen collagen are usually much less than the differ- 

 ences between the 15 hr. and 18 hr. values. The sixth to fifteenth 

 hours were the night hours of complete quiescence. We assume 

 that cumulative Imbibition of water occurred during that period with- 

 out material effect on the relative positions of the swollen masses, 

 but with diminution in the size of the interstices. After the mix- 

 tures were shaken in the morning, the gelatinous masses were not 

 compressed by Sedimentation into their previously more compact 

 arrangement. The denser and firmer masses of fibrin were unlike 

 those of the collagen in these respects. Exceptions to this rule 

 were shown only by the fibrin masses that had been most markedly 

 bloated and gelatinized under the influence of trypsin. 



The results show clearly that proteases may increase considerably 

 the absorption of water by protein particles immersed in acid or 

 alkalin media containing proportions of sodium chlorid in excess of 

 those that occur in protoplasm. Our data support the belief that 

 hydrolases markedly influence the absorption, retention, accumula- 

 tion and discharge of water by protoplasm, especially under ab- 

 normal conditions favorable to the development of edema. 



Among the extensions of this work is a study, now in progress, 

 of the behavior of protoplasmic masses in biological liquids under 

 the influence of intracellidar hydrolases. 



