‘LEGUMINOSH. 44 
bE: B staneously or into the venous system, they. should cause death. 
_ And so anomalous does the toxic’ power of these bodies seem 
that we are bound to consider whether a proteid is of itself 
_ poisonous or possesses toxic properties by virtue of some agent 
or body tacked on. to it or formed from it. Such an agent 
__ know that the ferments used in digestion are normally asso- 
3 _ Stated the same of pepsin; and even granting that these two 
We may fairly ask, are present in abrus poisons which would 
4 lead ‘to the supposition that what might be called a “toxic “p 
4 ferment is present? The unorganized ferments known alter 
= the constitution of the bodies on which they act, the digestive 
 -ferments acting on proteids, amyloids, ‘and fats, while other 
_ €ause the proteids on which they act to assume a solid form. 
4 All these ferments have certain characteristics common to all; 
their action is increased by a moderate heat and permanently 
a - destroyed by boiling their- solutions ; and their activity is not 
apparently diminished after they have produced their effect. 
~ From this it will be seen that the fact which would point to 
abrus poison being’ a “toxic”” fermentis the fact that its activity 
is permanently destroyed by a 
than this we cannot at present go- 
possess neither a proteolytic nor amylolytic action, 
Teaction of the Sosa’ nap ae ~ The 
activit ity of tl buli 
rature would seth to point fo an .n alteration in the ¢ constitution of 
proteid as the cause of the loss of poisonous activity; but this 
again is the temperature at which ferments are destroyed. No 
vident effect, chemical or physical, 
Abrus globulin and albumose 
whatever the 
= nei es 
once and for ever destroyed. This may point to a ferment 
56 | z 
associated with a proteid would be called a “ferment.” We 
ciated with proteids, although Cohnheim claimed that he had 
separated ptyalin from all associated proteid, and Bricke | 
moist heat below.100° C. Farther | 
is noticed if the albumose — 
~ ferments may be separated from their associated proteids the . 
s Dac remains that ferments are in nature closely linked with albu- — 
minoid bodies. What characteristic of unorganized ferments, 5 
7 ‘ferments, such as the fibrite ferment and the curdling ferments, 
be heated up to 85° C. or even poiled, yet its toxic activity ae 
