ADIPOSE TISSUE. 411 



origin from the former is suggested by many observations. It is 

 thus well known that the albuminous constituents of human bodies 

 when buried in moist ground, and notably the muscle-tissue, may 

 undergo a peculiar transformation, which is characterized by the 

 disappearance of the albumins and their replacement by the free 

 fatty acids and the calcium and ammonium soaps of palmitic acid 

 and stearic acid, which constitute the so-called adipocire, or Leichen- 

 wax of the Germans. This transformation is probably brought 

 about through the activity of micro-organisms, and does not prove 

 in itself that in the living animal an actual formation of neutral 

 fats can occur from the albumins. But it shows, at all events, 

 that forces which are at work in the living world can bring 

 about the formation of two of the higher fatty acids at least which 

 enter into the composition of the common fat from albuminous 

 material. In the laboratory such a transformation has not as yet 

 been accomplished, if we disregard the observations of E. Voit, who 

 claims to have noted the appearance of higher fatty acids when 

 albumin was kept in milk of lime for twelve months. 



Proof of the possible origin of fats from albumins seems further 

 to be afforded by the phenomena of fatty degeneration, where an 

 actual deposition of large amounts of fat can be demonstrated in the 

 cells of organs in which only traces are normally found. It has 

 been urged, however, that the fat which is here encountered has not 

 developed intiitu, but has been carried to the organs in question from 

 the adipose tissue proper. That such a transportation of fats may 

 occur is possible, and has indeed been proved for the fatty degenera- 

 tion of the liver which results from poisoning with phloridzin ; 

 Leick and Winckler could also demonstrate that in dogs which had 

 first been starved and then fed with mutton tallow, and finally 

 poisoned with phosphorus, the fatty degeneration of the heart 

 muscle also was referable to transported fat. On the other hand, 

 there can be no doubt that under normal conditions fats can 

 originate from albumins. Large quantities can thus be isolated 

 from the livers of dogs which have been poisoned with phosphorus 

 after having previously fasted for twelve days. In such an event it 

 scarcely seems admissible to attempt to account for the presence of 

 the large amounts of fat in the liver on the theory of transporta- 

 tion. Bauer, moreover, has pointed out that while in such cases a 

 largely increased elimination of nitrogen occurs, there is evidence to 

 show that a non-nitrogenous portion of the albuminous molecule is 

 retained, as the absorption of oxygen and the eJimination of carbon 

 dioxide are decreased by one-half. 



A further proof of the possible origin of fats from albumins has 

 been furnished by Hoffmann. Experimenting with maggots of 

 flies, he determined the amount of fat in one portion directly, and 

 then permitted a second portion of the same weight to develop in 

 defibrinated blood containing a known amount of fat. These were 



