52 POISONOUS PROTEINS 



as the "peptone poison" does. Edmunds did 

 not find that the protein poison inhibits the 

 coagulation of blood, but Underhill has recent- 

 ly showed that it has this effect, when used in 

 larger doses than those employed by Edmunds. 

 Underhill has recently compared the action of 

 the protein poison with that of the proteoses* 

 and finds that the resemblance is strong both in 

 the effect upon blood pressure and coagulation, 

 but "Vaughan's preparation differs from the 

 proteoses in that it produces marked symptom^ 

 or even death in the rabbit in relatively small 

 doses. " The rabbit is mentioned here because 

 of its known refractoriness to proteoses. 



It seems to me highly probable that the poi- 

 sonous group in the proteoses is the protein 

 poison and that its more powerful action is due 

 to the fact that it ha been more effectually 

 stripped of those groups which tend to neutral- 

 ize its effects. It is present in every true pro- 

 tein and when molecular disruption proceeds up 

 to a certain point, the physiological action is in- 

 creased, beyond that point it is decreased. The 

 protein poison kills dogs, as shown by Under- 

 hill, in doses in which the proteoses have only a 

 temporary effect, but the symptoms are the 

 same. From this I conclude that the poisonous 

 group is the same in both instances, but the free 



