216 PHYSIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY. 



In the putrefaction of the proteids we have, indeed, the same pro- 

 ducts formed at the beginning, but the decomposition proceeds 

 considerably further and a number of products are developed, 

 which have become known through the labors of numerous inves- 

 tigators, NENCKI, BAUMANN, BRIEGEE, H. and E. SALKOWSKI. 

 The products which are formed in the putrefaction of proteids are 

 (in addition to albumoses, peptones, amido-acids, and ammonia) 

 indol, skatol, paracresol, phenol, plienyl-propionic acid, &n&'phenyl- 

 acetic acid, also paraoxyphenyl-acetic acid and hydroparacoumaric 

 acid (besides paracresol, produced in the putrefaction of tyrosin), 

 volatile fatty acids, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, marsh-gas, and sul- 

 phuretted hydrogen. In the putrefaction of gelatin neither tyrosin 

 nor indol is formed, while glycocoll is produced. 



Among these products of decomposition a few are of special 

 interest because of their behavior within the organism, and because 

 after their absorption they pass into the urine. A few, such as the 

 oxyacids, pass unchanged into the urine, while others, such as 

 phenol, are transformed into ethereal sulphuric acids by synthesis, 

 and are eliminated by the urine ; others, on the contrary, such as 

 indol and skatol, are only converted into ethereal sulphuric acids 

 after oxidation (for details see Chapter XIV). The quantity of 

 these bodies in the urine varies also with the extent of the putre- 

 faction processes in the intestine ; at least this is true for the ethe- 

 real sulphuric acids. Their quantity increases with a stronger pu- 

 trefaction, and the reverse takes place, as BAUMAKN" has shown by 

 experiments on dogs, when the intestine has been disinfected by 

 calomel, as then they disappear from the urine. 



Among the products of putrefaction developed in the intestine, 

 indol and skatol must be carefully discussed. 



CH 



/ % 



Indol, C 8 H 7 N = C 6 H 4 CH, and Skatol, or METHYL- 



C.C.Hs 

 C 9 H 9 N = C 6 H^ CH, are two bodies which stand 



