PUS. 365 



belong to the cerebrin group (see Chapter XI). HOPPE-SEYLER 1 

 claims that glycogen appears only in the living, contractile white blood- 

 cells and not in the dead pus-corpuscles. Several other investigators 

 have, nevertheless, found glycogen in pus. The cell-nucleus contains 

 nuclein and nudeoproteins. 



In regard to the occurrence of enzymes in the pus-cells it must be 

 remarked that neither thrombin nor prothrombin is found therein, 

 although these bodies are generally considered as being derived from 

 the leucocytes, and also obtainable from the thymus leucocytes. The 

 occurrence in the pus-cells, besides catalases and oxidases, of a proteolytic 

 enzyme, is of great interest. It is not only important for the intracellular 

 digestion and for the amount of proteoses in the pus-cell, but also for 

 the solution of the fibrin clot and pneumonic infiltrations (FR. MULLER, 

 O. SIMON 2 ). Alipase, which splits neutral fats, also occurs, according to 

 FIESSINGER and MARIE, in pus. 



The mineral constituents of the pus-corpuscles are potassium, sodium, 

 calcium, magnesium, and iron. A part of the alkalies exists as chlorides, 

 and the remainder, as well as the chief part of the other bases, exists 

 as phosphates. 



The quantitative composition of the pus-cells from the analyses of 

 HOPPE-SEYLER is as follows, in parts per 1000 of the dried substance: 



i. n. 



Proteins 137 . 62 ] 



Nuclein 342 . 57 f 685 . 85 673.69 



Insoluble bodies 205. 66 J 



Lecithin \ , .o oo 75 . 64 



Fat / 143 ' 83 75.00 



Cholesterin 74.00 72.83 



Cerebrin 51 .99 \ mo CA 



Extractive bodies 44.33 / 



MINERAL SUBSTANCES IN 1000 PARTS OF THE DRIED SUBSTANCE. 



NaCl 4.34 



Ca 3 (PO 4 ) 2 2.05 



Mg 3 (P0 4 ) 2 1.13 



FePO 4 1.06 



PO 4 9 . 16 



Na 0.68 



K Traces (?) 



MIESCHER obtained other results for the alkali compounds, namely, potas- 

 sium phosphate 12, sodium phosphate 6.1, earthy phosphate and iron phos- 

 phate 4.2, sodium chloride 1.4, and phosphoric acid combined with organic sub- 

 . stances 3.14-2.03 p. m. 



In pus from congested abscesses which has stagnated for some time 

 there occur peptone (proteose), leucine and tyrosine, free fatty acids and 



1 Hoppe-Seyler, Physiol. Chem., 790. 



2 Fr. Miiller, Verhandl. Nat. Gesellsch. zu. Basel, 1901; O. Simon, Deutsch. Arch, 

 .f. klin. Med., 70. 



