H^MOCHROMOGEN 



21. 



of the scale, such as the simple body ammonia and the complicated 

 globin molecule, can play the same part with regard to the base 

 C34H3QN404Fe, other molecules intermediate in complexity can do 

 likewise. And this is so. Nicotine, pyridine, hydrazine hydrate, 

 glycocol, and in fact many amines, some amino-acids and most of 

 the proteins, will behave in the same way. The spectra of the hsemo- 

 chromogens formed are all of the same character but differ in 

 detail. 



Here a word must be said about nomenclature. The following 

 names were introduced by Anson and Mirsky starting from the view 

 that haemochromogen was a conjugated protein, obtained by making 

 haemoglobin alkaline and then adding a reducing agent. Anson and 

 Mirsky having established the fact that haemochromogen was an 

 intermediate body between reduced haemoglobin and C34H3oN404Fe, 

 not unnaturally applied the same line of reasoning to the com- 

 pounds on the level of oxyhaemoglobin, in which case the apparently 

 rich solution of pigment obtained by the addition of acid or alkali 

 to oxyhaemoglobin would have ranged itself as a conjugated protein, 

 which might have been prepared by the addition of protein, to 

 C34H3QN404FeOH. While there is little doubt that such a view was 

 in the minds of these authors and is certainly implied by them, it 

 must be clearly stated that they do not claim to have carried out 

 these transformations. 



The following are Anson and Mirsky's schemes: 



H aemin 



-CI 

 + 0H 



A 

 Haem 



Reduced Haem 



B 



D 



Haematln 

 ■tit 



0) 



.3 



"k 

 o 



^ = Haemochromogen 



globin C 



Haemoglobin 

 + alkali 



D 

 Haematln 



t3 



A 

 Haem 

 ■ei 



'4 



'h 



▼ 



Haemochromogen 



gLobln 

 removed 



> = Reduced Haem 



B 



