115 



If the proteids of the papaw are digested by the aid of the contained 

 ferments in either acid, neutral or alkaline fluids, and a separation 

 and purification then made, the resulting product is decreased, and the 

 dic'-estive power is not increased ; in fact, unless th*^ process is most 

 carefully performed, the absolute power of the ferment is greatly 

 weakened. 



It has been stated that the ferments of the papaw are chiefly asso- 

 ciated with one of its proteid constituents.^^ 



I have never been able to verify this statement. When any of the 

 various forms of proteids are separated by the processes elsewhere out- 

 lined, heat or coagulation excepted, the separated body will be found 

 to possess ferment power. Even the peptone remaining after separa- 

 tion of the albumoses exhibits feeble ferment powers. The ferment 

 action seems to be the most marked when all of the proteids are asso- 

 ciated together in their natural form. 



GLUCOSIDE OF THE PAPAW. 



The Carica Papaya contains a glucosidal body, caricin. _ This I 

 have never been able to obtain except from the seed, in which it is 

 fairly abundant. From this source it may be extracted after boiling 

 the seeds with 75 per cent, alcohol. The residue after alcoholic ex- 

 traction is then exhausted with water. The aqueous extract after the 

 addition of barium carbonate is evaporated to the consistency of a soft 

 extract from which the glucoside may be extracted with hot alcohol. 

 From such a solution the glucoside separates upon concentration. 

 This glucoside resembles sinigrin. 



It is decomposed by the glucoside splitting ferment, myrosin (ob- 

 tained from mustard), giving a volatile, odorous, pungent flavour sug- 

 gestive of the Cruciferae, but not so marked. 



The seeds of papaw also contain the glucoside splitting ferment, 

 myrosin. The glucoside resides within the hard inner coating of the 

 seed, while the myrosin ferment is secreted in the gelatinous outer 

 envelope. Myrosin may be extracted from this mucilaginous substance 

 with water and precipitated from the watery solution by alcohol. 



By pursuing the methods here briefly outlined, we may separate the 

 glucoside from the inner section of the seed and the ferment from the 

 outer coating ; and by bringing the two substances together in the 

 presence of water, the glucoside will be decomposed with the produc- 

 tion of a volatile essence and glucose. ^ ^ 



The myrosin ferment extracted from the mucilaginous coating of 

 the papaw seed will decompose sinigrin. The action of this ferment 

 and decomposition of the glucoside is apparent to the sense of taste 

 when the seeds are chewed. The taste and odour indicate that the 

 glucoside and ferment are present in the bark of the root. 



ALKALOID. 



An alkaloid — carpaine — has been separated from the Carica Papaya. 

 The source so far noted has been the leaves. 



The usual method of extraction is to digest the leaves in alcohol 



(17) Martin believed the ferment to be associated with the proteid which he 

 termed B Phytoalbumoae. 



'^^ "It has been demonstrated that in many instances the ferment and the gluco- 

 side upon which the ferment acts are enclosed in diiferent cells in plant tissue. 



