ALBUMINS OR PROTEINS. 265 



there are other albuminous decomposition-products present in the urine 

 of animals which have been poisoned by phosphorus. 



We will add that the sudden destruction of cell-albumin as it occurs 

 in acute atrophy of the liver, phosphorus poisoning, and many other con- 

 ditions, has been compared to the autolysis of dead tissues. By autolysis, 

 we mean " self-digestion " of the organs, which follows in a short time, 

 when these are preserved in a sterile condition. A gradual solution and 

 liquefaction of the whole organ takes place. Among the end-products of 

 this process we find, for one thing, decomposition products of albumin, 

 arginine is rarely present, as it is further decomposed by the arginase, 

 then again cleavage-products from the nucleins, and finally also com- 

 pounds arising from the remaining elements of the tissue. We obtain 

 the impression, that all cell-ferments become active immediately after 

 death, and then, when all the regular functions have ceased, indiscrimi- 

 nately tear everything to pieces. It is correct to assume from this con- 

 ception of autolysis, that an analogous fermentation occurs in the cells. 

 It would be, however, a grave error to conclude that the autolytic 

 decomposition is to be regarded as the normal breaking down of the cell. 

 The living cell unquestionably does not permit all its ferments to act at 

 one time. It regulates its metabolism most carefully. One fermentation 

 process is carried out, another then follows. By one of these processes 

 a certain cleavage-product is formed, while the action of another ferment 

 breaks it down further. All these processes cooperate with one another. 

 The reconstruction proceeds uninterruptedly together with the decompo- 

 sition. In the dead tissues all this regulating mechanism is wanting. 

 Decomposition alone takes place. We are not justified in considering the 

 severe destruction which occurs in the above-mentioned liver tissues as 

 parallel to autolysis. It is possible that the whole process is a similar 

 one, that the solution of the cell structure precedes the death of the cells; 

 on the other hand, it must be remembered that we have, as yet, only 

 established a restricted decomposition of cell proteins, while an absolute 

 confirmation of the total dissolution of the cell tissues, which characterizes 

 autolysis, is missing. The cell destruction, under the pathological condi- 

 tions mentioned, is also much more rapid in autolysis than under normal 

 conditions. 



Autolysis also seems to play a part in the living organism, in fact, 

 assisting in the removal of dead matter; for example, of the fibrin produced 

 by pneumonia in the lungs; 1 in the reduction of the uterus after childbirth ; 

 very probably in the absorption of copious exudations of corpuscular 

 elements and the decomposition of decaying neoplasms, which have been 

 cut off from the circulation, etc. It is questionable whether we are justi- 



1 F. Miiller: Verb. XX, Kon. Med. Wiesbaden, 1902. 



