86 Chittenden and Allen—Influence of various Salts 
The action of the salt is very marked; with even 0°010 per cent. 
there is a diminution in proteolytic action amounting to 3:0 per cent., 
while in the presence of 0°5 per cent. of the salt, there is retardation 
to the amount of nearly 75 per cent. The copper salt prevents 
almost entirely the swelling of the fibrin and doubtless its retarding 
action is due in part to this fact. 
Lead acetate. 
In view of the frequent cases of chronic poisoning with lead salts, 
the influence of the acetate on gastric digestion, seems especially 
interesting. The results, moreover, show decided action on the part 
of the salt; with small fractions of a per cent. pronounced increase 
in proteolytic action is to be noticed, while beyond 0°5 per cent. 
there is sudden and almost complete cessation of ferment action. 
In this respect, the salt acts very differently from the copper salt, 
with which a more gradual diminution is observed. The two largest 
percentages of the lead salt prevented entirely the swelling of the 
fibrin. 
Undigested Fibrin Relative proteo- 
Pb(C2H302)2+3H20. residue. digested. lytic action. 
0 0°1936 gram. 80°64 per cent. 100°0 
0-001 per cent. 0°1592 84-08 104°2 
0°005 071892 81°08 100°5 
0-010 01781 82°19 101°9 
0:025 01691 83°09 103°0 
0 0°2140 78°60 100°0 
O01 072310 76:90 97°8 
0°3 0°4523 - 54°77 69°6 
0°5 0°7419 25.81 32°8 
0°8 0-9779 2:21 2°8 
1°5 079938 0°62 07 
Mereuric chloride. 
This salt, which showed such a marked action on the amylolytic 
ferment of the saliva, causes a like diminution of proteolytic action 
in the case of pepsin; even with 0°001 per cent. there is retardation 
to the extent of over 6 per cent., calling the action of the control 100. 
Petit* very erroneously states that mercuric chloride up to 04 per 
cent. does not hinder the action of pepsin. 
* Btudes sur les ferments digestifs. Abstract in Jahresbericht fir Thierchemie, 
1880, p. 309. 
‘ean 
