SOAPS, PROTEIN DERIVATIVES AND TISSUES 241 



" antidote " which will throw the poisonous agent " out of solu- 

 tion " in " insoluble " form. Many facts in chemistry, pharma- 

 cology and therapy already suffice to indicate that such a notion 

 regarding the action of antidotal agents is incorrect. Unless, for 

 example, an exactly proper concentration is maintained, the admin- 

 istrution of sodium or potassium iodid to individuals poisoned 

 with lead or mercury does not result in the formation of insoluble 

 lead or mercury salts, but may quite as easily yield soluble products. 

 And yet the beneficent effects of iodid administration in the relief 

 of various heavy metal intoxications, even when such concen- 

 tration details are ignored, cannot be doubted. In the experi- 

 ments of KEHOE the concentration of the reversing salts was so 

 chosen as to yie'ld no precipitates of the heavy metal elements, 

 and yet the more normal state of the previously coagulated pro- 

 tein was undoubtedly restored. 



The heavy metal salts do not poison protoplasm because they are 

 dissolved in it, but because they combine with the protein constituents 

 of the cell to yield insoluble proteinates of low hydration capacity. 

 Antidotes do not save such poisoned cells because they precipitate the 

 heavy metal, but because they displace the heavy metal from its protein 

 combination to unite themselves with the protein freed. The heavy 

 metal previously insoluble because united to the protoplasm of 

 the cell again becomes soluble and as such may be washed out of 

 the body. 



2 



The above considerations bring with them, we think, sug- 

 gestions of practical value for the treatment of all the heavy metal 

 poisonings. 



It is obvious that if the heavy metal proteinates revert under 

 the infhienee of light metal salts to the proteinates of these lighter 

 metals (which then more noarly approximate in physical state the 

 proteins of the normal cell) a second reason appears for the admin- 

 istration of large doses of alkali to patients poisoned by the heavy 

 metal*. A first reason was found and utilized some years ago ' 

 when the administration of alkali was recommended to patients 



1 MMITIV I! . TM.-I. 123, 133, Now York (1010); 



, I-. v I'M/ QBdeoM :uni Nephritfc, -JM.I K.I . MO, 



648, N-u N..I-I. L915); (Edamand Nephrita, 3rd Ed., 727, 780, New Yart 

 (1921). Here numerous references to the older literature may be found. 



