THE OXIDIZING SUBSTANCE OF THE BLOOD-PLASMA. 135 



organism, while from the standpoint of oxidation it presents 

 features of special interest. . . . These experiments showed 

 that oxidizing power of muscular tissue was extremely small." 

 Various experiments, which need not be considered in detail 

 here, showed that 100 grammes of each of the following organs 

 gave salicylic acid as a result of the reaction produced with 

 salicylic aldehyde, corresponding with the number of milli- 

 grammes opposite their names: Liver, 0.138 milligrammes; 

 spleen, 0.110 milligrammes; kidneys, 0.022 milligrammes; 

 pancreas, 0.0028 milligrammes; muscles, 0.0014 milligrammes. 



16. "Does the soluble oxidation ferment play any signifi- 

 cant role during life? That such must be the case is revealed 

 by the great number of substances upon which the action of the 

 oxidation ferment is exercised. If the aromatic series is first 

 considered, especially the benzol derivatives, a large series of 

 known bodies is found, which, incorporated into the organism, 

 are oxidized therein; for example: methylbenzol, ethylbenzol, 

 propylbenzol, benzilic aldehyde, benzilic alcohol, acetophenol, 

 which are oxidized into benzoic acid, salicylic aldehyde into 

 salicylic acid, xylol into toluic acid, benzol into phenol, etc. 

 . . . The question whether the action of the oxidation fer- 

 ment manifests itself in physiological combinations is one of 

 very great interest. 



17. "Salkowski showed long ago that phenylpropionic acid 

 is a regular product of albuminous disintegration by putrefac- 

 tion bacteria. He even found that this acid, in the body, is 

 oxidized into benzoic acid up to its last remnants, and that 

 the latter leaves the organisms by uniting with glycocol in the 

 form of hippuric acid. ... Is the oxidation ferment ca- 

 pable of causing this oxidation? Salkowski's experiments have 

 not as yet furnished an answer to this question, so that, until 

 further data are obtained, it may be said that the bodies of 

 the aromatic series which can be oxidized by the oxidizing 

 ferment are limited to benzilic alcohol, salicylic aldehyde, and 

 benzol, all bodies which do not occur physiologically in the 

 organism. 



18. "The action of the oxidation ferment on fats is better 

 known than that on aromatic substances. Pohl has proven that 



