822 URINE. 



In regard to the formation of acetone bodies from fat it must be 

 remarked that glycerin has an antiketoplastic action, and that the 

 fatty acids can only be considered. As to the behavior of these in the 

 formation of acetone, EMBDEN and MARX* have shown that only those 

 normal fatty acids which contain an even number of carbon atoms are 

 acetone formers, while those with an uneven number of carbon atoms 

 are without action in this regard. This is true at least for the acids from 

 n-decanoic acid to n-butyric acid, which latter is a strong acetone former. 

 As in diabetics a greater number of oxybutyric acid molecules can be 

 eliminated than corresponds to the number of fatty acid molecules decom- 

 posed, it seems as if more than one molecule of j8-oxybutyric acid is pro- 

 duced from one molecule of fatty acid. We cannot therefore admit 

 of a simple demolition of the fatty acids to butyric acid (by consecutive 

 oxidation attacks in the ^-position), but rather a destruction of the fatty 

 acid molecules into several parts, and these take part in the formation of 

 /3-oxybutyric acid. 



A synthetical formation of ^-oxybutyric acid has been accomplished by GEEL- 

 MUYDEN and others, but especially by MAGNUS-LEVY, starting* with acetaldehyde, 

 according to the hypothesis of SPIRO. It is also interesting that FRIEDMANN 2 

 has shown by perfusion experiments with livers that aldehyde ammonia, and to 

 a greater extent aldol, are acetone formers. It must therefore be admitted that 

 first a condensation of the aldehyde to aldol takes place, CH 3 .COH+CH 3 .COH 

 = CH 3 .CH(OH).CH 2 .COH, and that 0-oxybutryic acid, CH 3 .CH(OH).CH 2 .COOH, 

 is formed from this by oxidation. 



According to the above-mentioned perfusion experiments it must 

 be admitted that the liver is important in the formation of acetone 

 bodies, and EMBDEN and LATTES have found that the ability of the liver 

 of the dog with pancreas diabetes or phloridzin diabetes to produce 

 acetone is much greater than the liver of the normal animal. On the 

 other hand, as shown by EMBDEN and MiCHAUD, 3 in dogs and oxen the 

 liver also has a strong destructive action upon acetoacetic acid. A 

 similar action is also found in the kidneys, muscles and spleen of dogs 

 and pigs. The destructive action of fresh organs is much stronger upon 

 acetoacetic acid than upon acetone. They could not find any special 

 cleavage products, and the above-mentioned, so-called demolition may 

 therefore perhaps in part be a reformation of /3-oxybutyric acid from the 

 acetoacetic acid. 



Acetone, CsHeO, dimethylketone, CHs.CO.CHs, is a thin, water- 

 clear liquid, boiling at 56.3 and possessing a pleasant odor of fruit, 



1 Hofmeister's Beitrage, 11. 



2 Geelmuyden, Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chem., 23 and 26; Magnus-Levy, Arch. f. exp. 

 Path. u. Pharm., 42; Friedmann, Hofmeister's Beitrage, 11. 



8 Embden and Lattes, Hofmeister's Beitrage, 11; Embden and Michaud, ibid., 11. 



