248 PHYSIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY. 



ever, as such; but they are transformed by synthesis with glycerin 

 into neutral fats on their passage from the intestines to the 

 thoracic duct. According to EWALD, such a synthesis may be pro- 

 duced by the surviving mucous membrane of the intestine. 



Albuminous bodies and carbohydrates may be considered as the 

 mother-substance of the fats formed in the organism. 



The formation of the so-called COBPSE-WAX, ADIPOCEBE, into 

 which parts of the corpse rich in proteids are sometimes converted, 

 and which consists of abundant quantities of fatty acids, ammonia, 

 and lime-soaps, is often given as a proof of the formation of fats 

 from proteids. The provableness of this observation has, however, 

 been disputed, and many other explanations of the formation of 

 this substance have been offered. According to the recent experi- 

 ments of KBATTEB and K. B. LEHMANN, it seems as if it were 

 possible by experimental means to convert animal tissue rich in 

 proteids (muscles) into adipocere by the continuous action of water. 

 That the formation of fatty acids in this case actually takes place 

 at the expense of the proteids may be inferred from the investiga- 

 tions of LEHMANI*. 



Another proof of the formation of fat from proteids, taken 

 from pathological chemistry, is fatty degeneration. On this point 

 also all investigators are not united; but the investigations of 

 BAUEB seem to show that at least in acute poisoning by phosphorus 

 the fatty degeneration actually consists of a formation of fat from 

 proteids. 



As a more direct proof of fat-formation from proteids the inves- 

 tigations of PETTE^KOFEB and VOIT are often quoted. These 

 investigators fed dogs with large quantities of meat containing the 

 least possible proportion of fat, and found all of the nitrogen in 

 the excreta but only a part of the carbon. As an explanation of 

 these conditions it has been assumed that the proteid of the 

 organism splits into a nitrogenized and a non-nitrogenized part, 

 the former changing into the nitrogenized final product, urea, the 

 other, on the contrary, being retained in the organism as fat (PET- 

 TENKOFEB and VOIT). 



Another more direct proof of a fat formation from proteid has 

 been given by HOFMANN. He experimented with fly-maggots. A 

 number of these were killed and the quantity of fat determined. 



