225 



acid accordingly only a quarter of it l ). For dogs and rabbits 

 l-camphor is about thirteen times as toxic as d-camphor. 2 ) 



Poulsson 3 ) observed that from the racemic polypeptides twice as 

 much was necessary for nutrition, as when the optically active 

 form was used, while tewgyratory nicotine (from tobacco) is twice 

 as poisonous as the synthetic fe/rogyratory alkaloid 4 ). Artificial adre- 

 naline is much less active than is the natural product, which is endowed 

 with rotatory power. The mydriatic action of atropine upon the 

 pupil of the eye is apparently specific for the natural base, while 

 its mirror-image does not show this property. The dextrogyratory 

 cocaine seems to paralyse the nerves of the tongue much more rapidly 

 than the laevogyratory alkaloid does. The sensitiveness of the ureter 

 for tewgyratory hyoscyamine, scopolamine, epi-nephrine , or camphor, 

 appeared to be undeniably greater than for the corresponding dextro- 

 gyratory isomerides, while the racemic forms had a middle action 

 upon this organ 5 ). From this and similar examples it is evident 

 that in the assimilation-process of higher animals also, enantio- 

 morphously related molecules are by no means equivalent. 



Remarkable instances of the different chemical action of dextro- 

 and laevogyratory antipodes are stated also with respect to the 

 phenomena of chemotaxis, observed in the case of moving bacteria 6 ). 



Pasteur himself gave an explanation which, if followed, enables 

 us to bring this phenomenon within the scope of the arguments 

 given in the foregoing paragraphs referring to the second method 

 of fission. According to Pasteur's view, this selective action must 

 beyond any doubt depend on the dissimilar interaction of asymmetric 

 bodies contained in the cells of living organisms, with the molecules 

 of each of both active components. Thus the different action of the 

 dextro- and laevogyratory asparagines on the tongue would be 

 caused by the different chemical action of both antipodes upon an 

 asymmetric substance present in the tissue of the gustatory nerve. 



!) C. Chabrie, Compt. rend. Acad. Paris, 116, 1140, (1893). 



2) G. Bruni and G. A. Pari, Gazz. Chim. Ital., 38, //, 1, (1908). 



3) E. Poulsson, Archiv. exp. Path. u. Pharm., 27, 309, (1890); Ion, 2, 188, 

 (1910). Cf. also: C. Neuberg and J. Wohlgemuth, Ber. d. d. Chem. Ges., 

 34, 1745, (1901); Zeits. f. physiol. Chemie, 35, 41, (1902); P. Mayer, Bioch. 

 Zeits., 1, 39. (1906); P. Albertoni, Archiv. f. exp. Path. u. Pharm., 15, 272. 



4) A. Pictet, A. Rotschy, and A. Mayor, Ber. d. d. Chem. Ges., 37, 1225, 1234, 

 (1904). 



5) D. I. Macht, Journ. of Pharm. and Exp. Therapeuthics, 12, 255; (1918). 



6) H. and E. G. Pringsheim, Zeits. f. physiol. Chemie, 97, 175, (1916). 



IS 



