TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION D. 751 



tlie molecule would split into two molecules of proto-albumose, each having tlie 

 ccm position 



H.,0 HCl 



! ! 



a- = (f 



/ \ 



H..0— « «— HCl 



II II 



HCl— tf «— H„0 



\ / 



a = a 



I I 

 HCl H,0 



Wasliing this with alcohol and then redissolving- in water would give pure proto- 

 albumose, water molecules taking the place of hydrochloric acid. In like manner 

 deutero-albumose might be 



H.,0 H.,0 



i i 

 a = a 



H„0— « .r— H.,0 



' \ ^ ' 



a — a 



and peptone 



These relative proportions are supported by the amount of silver which is 

 contained in a series of the different proteid compounds with silver, the various 

 proportions being roughly (not sufficient data are yet to hand to allow of exact 

 deduction') : — 



Silver to albumen 1 to 8 



,, proto-albumose 1 to 4'4 



,, deutero-albumose 1 to 315 



,, peptone . . 1 to '^5 



The relative proportions of proto-albumose to that of deutero-albumose in these 

 silver combinations are exactly paralleled by their respective rapidity of diffusion. 



Proto-albumose diffuses more slowly than deutero, the exact figures being :— 

 •75 of proto-albumose dialyses in the same time, if under the same circumstances, as 

 one of deutero ; while one part by weight of proto-albumose combines with silver 

 for every '72 of deutero. 



This" process of saturation of the proteid molecules, and their splitting up under 

 the influence of HCl and pepsiue, are of great importance in natural gastric 

 digestion, and point to the reason why, in the early part of normal digestion, all 

 the simpler forms may be found. Indeed, before ten minutes have elapsed after a 

 meal which has included proteid substances, peptones may be identified in the 

 stomach contents. 



The different stages of gastric digestion after a meal consisting chiefly of 

 proteids may be divided into — 



1. Amyiolytic stage.— Aciditv slight, rising ; no free HCl present, but some 

 combined with proteids. Duration, about ten minutes ; peptones generally present. 



2. Combined hydrochloric acid (proteid hydrochloride) stage.— Acidity consider- 

 able, rising ; all forms of proteids present ; no free HGl ; probably some lactic acid. 

 Duration, until about the half-hour. 



