1883.] Mr A. S. Lea and Mr J. B. Green, on Fibrin Ferment. 31 



regard the network, and peripheral layer of the cell, as the only 

 living portions, but we have not as yet sufficient facts to allow us 

 to come to any definite conclusion ; it may be that the hyaline 

 interfibrillar substance is protoplasmic (living) like the network, but 

 is less differentiated. The network appears to be the result of the 

 two-fold tendency of the protoplasm to form fibrillae and to store 

 up substances within its grasp ; in most cases it is obviously not 

 constant in form, but is continuously altering the arrangement of 

 its bars and the size of its meshes. This is especially distinct in 

 mucous cells in which during secretion numerous fresh connect- 

 ing fibrillae are formed. 



(2) Note on the Fibrin Ferment. By A. S. Lea, M.A., and 

 J. R. Green. 



The object of this communication was to endeavour to reconcile 

 certain statements made by Gamgee 1 as to the apparent nature 

 and properties of the ferment body obtained from Buchanan's 

 1 washed blood-clot' with those which are usually made respecting 

 the properties of the ferment obtained by Schmidt's methods. 

 From his experiments on ' washed blood-clot' Gamgee came to the 

 conclusions that an active fibrin-ferment could be extracted from 

 the clot, and that from the reactions of the salt solution used for 

 its extraction the ferment "is in reality a proteid body belonging 

 to the group of globulins." If this is so then the ferment body 

 prepared by Gamgee must be a very different body to that obtained 

 by Schmidt. The authors then gave an account of their own 

 experiments which will shortly be published in detail. It will 

 suffice here to say that by appropiate methods they were able to 

 isolate from the 'washed blood-clot' a substance which is readily 

 precipitable by excess of alcohol, is soluble in distilled water and 

 does not give any reactions (Xanthoproteic) characteristic of a 

 proteid. The aqueous solution of this substance added to a diluted 

 salt-plasma, leads to the rapid formation of fibrin in this plasma. 

 This power is lost if the solution of the ferment is heated for 

 a short time to 70° C. The active properties of the solution are 

 not very largely diminished by dialysis. From their results the 

 authors came to the conclusion that the ferment contained in the 

 washed clot is essentially identical with that prepared by Schmidt. 

 They observe however that there are still some points in which 

 it does not entirely resemble Schmidt's ferment ; thus the solution 

 of the ferment as prepared by them does not lose its activity by 

 being dialysed (agreeing in this with Hammarsten's statements), 

 whereas Schmidt states that his ferment solutions do largely lose 



1 Jl. Physiol. Vol. n. 1879, p. 145. 



