292 NON-NITROGENOUS NEUTRAL BODIES. 



question (Budge,*) that in diabetes sugar is formed from protein, but, 

 on examining the grounds on which such a view is based, we find 

 that the facts adduced in support of them are of a very doubtful 

 character. In the first place it has been alleged that diabetic 

 patients, living on a highly nitrogenous diet, discharge far more 

 sugar than could be formed from the sugar-yielding, non-nitro- 

 genous substances, which have constituted a portion of their 

 food; but unfortunately no accurate observations on this point, 

 based on numerical results, have been brought forward; for, 

 although Pfeuffer and Lowigf have instituted one experiment of 

 the kind, it led to no result. Moreover, we are still so ignorant 

 regarding the internal constitution of albuminous and gelatinous 

 substances, that we can adduce no chemical grounds in support of 

 such an assumption. Berzelius,J founding his hypothesis on the 

 fact that protein, like sugar, when treated with hydrochloric acid, 

 yields formic and humic acids, and, with nitric acid, yields oxalic 

 and saccharic acids (which, however, has not been decisively 

 proved), indicates the possibility that protein (like amygdalin, 

 salicin, &c.) may contain sugar, and that a portion of the diabetic 

 sugar may therefore proceed from the albuminous substances. 

 The supposition is, also, by no means at variance with the admi- 

 rable investigations of Guckelberger on the products of decompo- 

 sition of nitrogenous animal tissues by sulphuric acid and chro- 

 mate of potash ; since by this means of oxidation, aldehyde is 

 developed from these nitrogenous matters, just as it is produced 

 from milk-sugar when similarly treated. These facts, however, 

 simply indicate the possibility that sugar may be formed from the 

 protein-compounds; they do not prove that it is so formed; 

 Liebig|| merely regards it as " conceivable" that in the metamor- 

 phosis of tissue, sugar may be produced from gelatinous 

 substances. 



Notwithstanding the numerous hypotheses that have been 

 advanced by physicians regarding the reason why, in diabetes, the 

 sugar does not undergo the ordinary change in the organism, we 

 are still utterly ignorant on this point. As we shall return to this 

 subject in the second volume, in our observations on " the urine/ 5 



* Arch. f. physiol. Heilk. Bd. 3, S. 391. 

 t Zeitsch. f. rat. Med. Bd. 1, S. 451. 

 I Jahresber. Bd. 19, S. 655. 

 Ann. d. Ch. u. Pharm. Bd. 64, S. 99. 

 jj Geiger's Pharm. Bd. 1, S. 796. 



