SECTION VIII. 



DECOMPOSITIONS AND TRANSFORMATIONS OF 

 ORGANIC NITROGENOUS COMPOUNDS. 



CHAPTER XXX. 



THE PHENOMENA OF PUTREFACTION. 



168. The Degradation of the Albuminoids. 



IN 15 of the Introduction it was stated that Liebig's differ- 

 entiation between fermentation and putrefaction is untenable, 

 and that no sharply defined limit between these terms exists. 

 Enlarging the definition of the term fermentation beyond its usual 

 limits, we there defined this phenomenon as the transformation 

 of various chemical substances by the action of minute fungoid 

 organisms. 



Without prejudice to this general definition, we can neverthe- 

 less speak of putrefaction in particular, limiting the application 

 of this term to such fermentations as chiefly effect the decomposi- 

 tion of albuminoid substances. Any further attempt to analyse 

 this more restricted term is at once frustrated by our ignorance 

 of the constitution of the albuminoids themselves. The multi- 

 plicity of contingencies here possible cannot be disregarded, and 

 consequently no classification according to the final products 

 obtained is feasible. On the other hand, no differentiation can 

 be based on the composition of the bodies subjected to decom- 

 position, since we are here encountered by a question, hitherto 

 unsolved by chemists, viz. , What are the albuminoids ? 



Obviously mycologists might postpone further researches on this 

 point until the necessary preliminaries have been performed by 

 their chemical colleagues. As a matter of fact, however, the 

 opposite course has been adopted, and the determination of the 

 nature of the putrefaction products of albumin has not only led 

 to hypotheses regarding the composition of that substance, but 

 will probably also indicate the means whereby the nature and 

 synthetic preparation of these high - molecular nitrogen com- 

 pounds can be established. Provided the results obtained are of 

 value to the chemist, and, though in a minor degree, to the 

 mycologist as well, the credit thus accruing to Fermentation 



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