420 PRODUCTS OF BACTERIAL DECOMPOSITION OF PROTEIDS. [BOOK II. 



specific decomposition of the albuminous molecule distinguishing 

 bacterial from purely trypsin-proteolysis. According to Baumann, 

 neither indol nor skatol is a primary product, but arises from the 

 decomposition of a body soluble in a mixture of alcohol and ether 1 . 



In addition to the aromatic compounds, there are formed, amongst 

 the products of the bacterial decomposition of proteids, volatile fatty 

 acids, certain bases, nitrites, hydrogen, and sulphuretted hydrogen. 



The following list includes the products of the bacterial decompo- 

 sition of the albuminous bodies. 



Products of the Bacterial Decomposition of the Albuminous Bodies. 



(The bodies marked with an asterisk have not been found in the intestinal 



contents.) 



BODIES OF THE FATTY SEEIES. 



Araido-acids. 



Fatty acids. 



(Tetra- and penta^nethylendiamiri) 

 only found in the contents of the 

 intestines in pathological con- 

 ditions cystinuria, cholera and 

 dysenteric diarrhoea. 



BODIES OF THE AROMATIC SERIES. 

 Indol. 

 Skatol. 

 Skatol-carbonic acid 2 .* 



Tyrosin. 



Oxyphenylpropionic acid.* 

 Oxyphenylacetic acid.* 

 Phenylpropionic acid.* 

 Phenylacetic acid.* 

 Parakresol. 

 Phenol. 



End-products: carbon dioxide, water, ammonia, nitrites, hydrogen, 

 sulphuretted hydrogen. 



Bacterial It was Kiihne who first pointed out that indol is a 



decomposition typical product of the decomposition of albuminous 

 not dependent b oc li es w hen these are subjected to the combined action 

 ^ tr yp sm an d putrefaction 3 , as well as when they are 

 fused with caustic alkalies 4 , but that this body is never 

 produced by the action of trypsin, however long that action may 

 continue. He further shewed that this enzyme is not formed by, 

 and does not exist in connection with, bacterial putrefaction 5 . 



1 Baumann, Ber. d. deutsch. chem. Gesellsch. Vol. xin. p. 284. 



2 Zumft, in a recent research made in Nencki's laboratory at St Petersburg has 

 found indol, skatol, phenol and parakresol in the contents of the large intestine 

 of man, but no skatol-carbonic acid. In his paper entitled ' Sur les processus de 

 putrefaction dans le gros intestin de 1'homme, &c.,' Archives des Sciences Biologiques, 

 &c. Tome i. pp. 497517. St Petersburg, 1892. 



3 W. Kiihne, Virchow's Archiv, Vol. xxxix. p. 165. 



4 W. Kiihne, 'Ueber Indol aus Eiweiss,' Ber. d. deutsch. chem. Gesell. Vol. vm. 

 (1875), p. 206. 



5 W. Kiihne, ' Erfahrungen und Bemerkungen iiber Enzyme und Fermente, ' Unter- 

 such. a. d. phys. Inst. Heidelberg, Vol. i. (1878), pp. 291324. 



