CHEMICAL DYNAMICS OF ANIMAL NUTRITION 155 



injected in the form ot an emulsion comparatively large quantities 

 ar.d repeated injections could be tolerated by the rabbits, without 

 evincing any symptoms. On the other hand, when the liver had been 

 incubated for only four hours (i.e., till incipient autolysis), the animals 

 invariably died, even after the interperitoneal injection of very dilute 

 solutions. In one case an animal died within two or three hours of an 

 injection. 



These products when injected into the external jugular vein of an 

 anaesthetized animal, of which the carotid artery was connected with a 

 manometer, showed no change in the blood pressure. 



The products of autolysis or the protoplasm of tissue in its un- 

 stable condition are evidently highly toxic. This subject is of consider- 

 able interest in connection with the toxaemic symptoms observed in 

 atrophy of the liver. It is proposed to investigate this subject more 

 completely. 



Section B. The autolysis of some tissues other than the liver. 



Series VI. Effect of acids on autolysis of kidney and muscular tissue. 



A. Muscular tissue. (Quadriceps extensor of cat). 



These results indicate that acid excites the autolytic enzyme in the 

 case of the kidney. The influence of the acid in the case of the muscle 

 is slight ; as there is no degradation between 4 and 6 hours the action 

 appears to be a solvent one, rather than one exciting the enzyme. 



Series V 1 1 . The influence of muscular activity on autolysis. 



In this experiment, the sciatic nerves of a cat were divided on 

 each side as near the crural sciatic plexus as possible. The sciatic 

 nerve on one side was tetanized for 25 minutes, and the animal was 

 killed during tetanization (anaesthetic A.C.E.). The autolysis of the 

 corresponding resting and acting muscles from the two legs was then 

 determined. 



