444 THE GLANDULAR ORGANS. 



stimulating effect which the substance is supposed to exert upon the 

 oxidation processes of the body, the functions of the central nervous 

 system, and the reproductive organs. It represents the active prin- 

 ciple of Brown-Sequard's elixir. 



The Spermatozoa. Our knowledge of the chemical composi- 

 tion of the spermatozoa has been greatly extended within recent 

 years through the researches of Kossel and his pupils, preceded by 

 those of Miescher and Piccard. These observers were able to show 

 that in certain fishes, such as the salmon, sturgeon, pike, shad, 

 herring, mackerel, etc., protamins can be isolated in large amount. 

 Their general characteristics have already been described (page 52). 

 These protamins, of which several varieties are known, and which 

 yield diamino-acids and in some cases also histidin on hydrolytic 

 decomposition, are supposedly combined with nucleinic acids to 

 form nucleoproteids. The individual nucleinic bases which enter 

 into the construction of the nucleinic acids are the common forms, 

 which are also found elsewhere in the animal body. But it appears 

 that the spermatozoa of different animals do not contain all forms. 

 In the case of the salmon, Miescher and Piccard thus found guanin 

 and hypoxanthin, while from the semen of the carp Kossel obtained 

 adenin and hypoxanthin, as also small amounts of xanthin, but 

 no guanin. Inoko, on the -other hand, claims to have found all 

 forms in the semen of the salmon, boar, and ox, but states 

 that the relative amounts of the individual forms are not constant. 

 Immature spermatozoa apparently contain histons in the place of 

 protamins. 



Analysis of the spermatozoa of the salmon (Miescher) : 



Per cent. 



Nucleins 1 48.68 



Protamins (salmin) 26.76 



Other albumins 10.32 



Lecithins . 7.47 



Cholesterin 2.24 



Fats 4.53 



The albumins referred to in this table have not been studied in 

 detail. One of them, according to Miescher, contains 4 per cent, of 

 sulphur. In addition, the spermatozoa are said to contain a cere- 

 broside, which is similar to cerebrin; also a very considerable 

 proportion of inorganic salts, which are essentially represented by 

 phosphates. 



Detailed analyses of the spermatozoa of the higher animals and of 

 man are not yet available. 



As regards the composition of the separate parts of the sperma- 

 tozoa very little is known, but it seems that the protamins, com- 

 bined with nucleinic acids, are the most important components of 

 the head. The tails are dissolved in gastric juice on prolonged 



1 The nucleins, according to Kossel, are nucleinic acids. 



