196 Chittenden and Lambert—Post-mortem Formation 
present, has its reducing power considerably increased by heating for 
a short time with 2 per cent. sulphuric acid. Moreover, the sum of 
glycogen calculated as dextrose, and the liver sugar converted wholly 
into dextrose by boiling with dilute acid, exactly equals the total 
carbohydrates in those cases where peptones are not present. Thus 
in Experiment V, A and JB, the final sugar solution amounted in 
each instance to 100 c. c.; 50 ¢. ¢. of these solutions were mixed with 
sufficient 10 per cent. sulphuric acid to insure a content of 2 per cent., 
after which the two solutions were boiled for two hours, evaporation 
being prevented by an inverted Liebig’s condenser. On cooling, the 
solutions were made nearly neutral, concentrated somewhat and 
finally brought back to a volume of exactly 50 ¢.¢. Following are 
the analytical results both before and after boiling with the dilute acid. 
A, With peptones. 
Volume Equivalent : Total Per 
used. Weight Cu. in dextrose. amount, cent. 
Before boiling, LOKexe: 0°1735 gram. 0:0887 gram. 08870 gram. 4°43 
After boiling, 10 0°2270 0-1169 11690 5°84 
B. Without peptones. 
Before boiling, HOKC 2c: 01745 gram. 0:0892 gram. 0°8920 gram. 4:46 
After boiling, 10 0°2234 071150 1*1500 5°75 
Hence, it is evident that the liver sugar, in this instance at least, 
is not made up entirely of dextrose. Neither is it wholly maltose, 
for if such were the case, the reducing power before and after boiling 
with acid, would be in the proportion of 66: 100, whereas in the 
above experiment the ratio in A is 76°4:100 and in B 781: 100. 
Still, it would appear that the lower reducing body is present in the 
largest quantity. 
It was not our purpose to study particularly the nature of the 
liver sugar, so we have not sought for positive proof of the character 
of this lower reducing body. That it is not dextrin, or glycogen 
left unprecipitated by the alcohol, is evident from the fact that the 
addition of a little pure yeast to the normal sugar solution sets up a 
fermentation by which the sugars are not only completely decom- 
posed but no amylaceous bodies whatever remain in the fluid; at 
least none which will yield reducing bodies on boiling with dilute 
sulphuric acid. Consequently it would appear that the lower redu- 
cing body is in all probability maltose. We do not intend to say, 
however, that dextrin is never present in the liver; on the contrary, 
we are inclined to agree with Musculus and v. Mering that dextrin 
is doubtless formed as an antecedent to maltose, but in the two or 
eS 
