THE OXIDIZING SUBSTANCE AND MYOSINOGEN. 243 



tends to show that such is not the case,, because sarcolactic 

 acid is produced during progressive rigor mortis, precisely as 

 it is during muscular contraction. If, however, the process is 

 interpreted from our standpoint, including the presence of an 

 oxidizing principle in the muscle-plasma, i.e., the myosinogen, 

 this negatory evidence is eliminated. According to classic 

 doctrines, the nervous impulse is a direct initial factor of mus- 

 cular contraction, whereas from our standpoint it is an indirect 

 initial factor, oxygen assuming the place now accorded the 

 nerves. The continuation of oxidation during the progress of 

 rigor mortis, therefore, becomes a normal outcome of the post- 

 mortem vascular dilation, the remaining oxygen entering into 

 combination with the hydrocarbons present, as long as the 

 myosinogen is sufficiently liquid to permit of it: i.e., before 

 it has assumed the state of myosin. 



Considered from this point of view the many mooted 

 features of the process appear it seems to us under their 

 proper light. Glycogen is absolutely known, first, to diminish 

 during muscular contraction; second, to accumulate during 

 rest; third, to rapidly decrease when an unfed animal is made 

 to work. Notwithstanding these established facts, it is deemed 

 inadequate, as judged from the analysis of dead muscle, to 

 quantitatively satisfy the needs of the process. With oxygen 

 as the initial factor it becomes clear that dead muscle only 

 shows the residue of the combustion that has gone on during 

 the progress of rigor mortis, and that the glycogen ratio should 

 therefore include that of the sarcolactic acid, to say nothing 

 of other products of combustion that may be present, which 

 would bring the proportion of glycogen to a much higher 

 figure than analyses under present conditions furnish. 



Can we say, however, that glycogen alone satisfies the 

 needs of the process? The fact that the most powerful of our 

 domestic animals oxen, horses, camels, elephants, etc. are 

 all herbivorous would suggest that such is the case. Again, it 

 is the one constituent that is positively known to diminish 

 during work and to accumulate during rest. All other sources, 

 even fats, which are probably entitled to a place among the 

 sources of muscular energy, have only been theoretically asso- 

 ciated with muscular work, while the fact that the amount 



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