1885.] creatine and urea in muscular tissue. 265 



which acted upon by acids or alkalis produce the glycines or 

 amido-acids, glycocine, alanine, leucine, &c. 



C A „ p. + 2H ,0 = H„ {^ H + NHj . 



If now muscular tissue is such a compound as I have suggested, 

 the molecules being held together by some force, vital or other- 

 wise, it is not difficult to imagine that in the normal disinte- 

 gration of the tissue some such changes as the following may take 

 place. 



First the molecule CH„ -^^^-n- would be detached and when 

 2 (COOhL 



oxidised would be converted into methyl-aldehyde, C0 2 and water, 



f'OTT 

 CH * ICOOH + O = H . CHO + C0 2 + H 2 



glycollic acid methyl aldehyde 



the aldehyde being then either combined with a fresh molecule of 

 HCN to form a cyan-alcohol, or further oxidised into C0 2 and 

 H 2 0. We should then have attached to the benzene nucleus 

 a compound of cyan-alcohols by the hydration or decomposition 

 of one molecule of which we should have the corresponding acid 

 formed and ammonia liberated ; the nascent ammonia may how- 

 ever combine to form a cyanamide with the next molecule in the 

 chain, which hydrated would form the amido-acid, ammonia being 

 again liberated and forming a cyanamide with the next molecule 

 higher up ; and so on all through the different series. The changes 

 then may be thus represented 



,OH r OH 



C 2 H 4 C.H 4 J 



[CN.OH [CN.OH rnTT 



CH 2 CH 2 + CH 2 i"£ 



CN.OH + HO= " CN.NH . J - A 

 CH J 2 CH I 2 glycollic acid. 



'JCN.OH 8 *CN 



CH 2 { 



by digesting them with ammonia, expecting the ultimate change to be as follows : 



fCN fCN 



E...Cm +NH 3 =E...C H +H 2 

 lOH (NH 2 



The truth of this supposition has been confirmed by experiment."— Berichte, an, 

 s. 382. 



