ORIGIN OF FATS 



II 



permit the drawing of a definite conclusion in regard to the 

 present problem, and, in fact, there would appear to be no 

 evidence to warrant the conclusion that fats have a synthetic 

 origin from raw materials in the same sense as carbohydrates. 

 For this reason their origin must be sought out elsewhere : 

 the proteins, the carbohydrates, and glycerol and fatty acid 

 are amongst the more obvious sources. 



With regard to the proteins, evidence is not wanting that 

 they, under certain conditions, may be converted into fats; 

 but the evidence relates to the animal rather than to the plant. 



WALNUT. 



ALMOND. 



With respect to the carbohydrates, the weight of opinion 

 favours the view that in these substances is to be found the 

 origin of fats. 



The conversion of carbohydrate to fat in plants, or parts 

 of plants, exposed to a low temperature ; the development of 

 fats in immature seed separated from the parent plant ; and 

 the fattening of animals on a carbohydrate diet indicate the 

 close physiological connection of fats with carbohydrates. 



Quantitative results are not wanting. Numerous observa- 

 tions, amongst which those of Schmidt, Le Clerc du Sablon, 

 de Luca, Funaro, and Ivanow may be mentioned, show that 

 in the maturation of the seed, the increase in the amount of 



