544 AB\OR.UALITJi:S IN METABOLISM 



tions. The reduction of oxidation eau also be shown experimentally 

 by studying the respiratory exchange, Welseh having found the oxi- 

 dation decreased by from % to Y:, in phosphorus poisoning. Carba- 

 mates do not seem to be present in reeogni/.al)le amounts, and sugar 

 is also absent. 



In phosphorus poisoning the urinary findings are similar, but with 

 marked (pumtitative differences. Tyrosine cannot usually be de- 

 tected, at least by ordinary methods, being found by Riess in but 7 

 of 36 cases of (human) phosphorus poisoning, and in but 4 of these 

 was it abundant. Leucine is even less frequently found. With ex- 

 perimental animals glycocoll and other amino-acids have been found ^ 

 in the urine, and they could probably be found in acute hepatic atro- 

 phy if the same delicate methods were employed. AVohlgemuth - has 

 indeed found glycocoll, alanine, and arginine in human urine after 

 phosphorus poisoning. The small quantity of amino-acids in phos- 

 phorus poisoning is probably due to the relative slowness of the auto- 

 lytic changes. On the other hand, the deficiency of oxidation in phos- 

 phorus poisoning is shown by the abundant elimination of organic 

 acids, Riess having obtained as high as 4 to 6 grams of the zinc salt of 

 paralactic acid from the urine (per liter) in human cases, and its 

 presence seems to be constant. 



The Liver.^ — In the liver may be found an abundance of the free 

 amino-acids that have not yet escaped by diffusion, their presence 

 having been first detected by Frerichs microscopically. Taylor * was 

 able to isolate from a liver weighing 900 grams, 0.35 gm. of leucine 

 and 0.612 gm. aspartic acid, which probably represent much less than 

 the total amount present. Deuteroalbumose was also found, but no 

 peptone, arginine, histidine, or lysine, and glj^cogen was also absent. 

 In another case that appeared to be the result of chloroform intoxi- 

 cation, Taylor ^ obtained 4 grams of leucine, 2.2 grams of tyrosine, 

 and 2.3 grams of arginine nitrate. AVells found several amino-acids 

 free in sufificient quantity to identify in the liver in cases of acute yel- 

 low atrophy and chloroform necrosis, an increase in gelatigenous 

 substance in tlie former, and of organic non-lipoidal phosphorus in 

 both, sulphur being unchanged. The increase in tissue phosphorus 

 is striking, and agrees with Slowtzoff's and Wohlgemuth 's " finding 

 that the tissue phosphorus persists in experimental phosphorus poi- 

 soning. Wakeman ' found that in phospliorus poisoning of dogs the 



1 Abderhalclen and Barker. Zcit. plivsiol. Cliom.. l!)04 (42), 524; AlKlorliald.-n 

 and Bcrgcll, ibid., li)()3 CM), 4G4. 



^ Zeit. physiol. Cliem., 1!)(),5 (44), 74. 



3 Full analyses and discussion of the clieinistry of the liver in acute yellow 

 atrophv and clioloroforni necrosis <;iven hv Wells. Jour. Kxper. iled., 11I07 (H), 

 627; Arch. Jnt. .Med., litOS (1), .-)S!t: .lour." Biol. Cheni., l!tOS ( f) ) . 12!). 



4 Zeit. pliysiol. Ciieni., I!t(t2 (;i4). r,A{); .lour. .Med. Research. 1!)02 (8). 424. 



5 Tniv. of Calif. Pui)lications (Pathol.), l'.»04 (1), 4.S. 

 '• Biodiem. Zeit.. 1011 (.S2), 172. 



-Jour. Kxper. Med., 1!)05 (7), 292; Jour. Jiiol. V\wm., lUUS (4), 11!). 



