268 Prof. Latham, On the formation of lactic acid, [May 11, 



By oxidation, lactic acid and the others belonging to the series 

 may be converted into the corresponding aldehyde, carbonic acid 

 and water. 



rOH 

 C 2 H 4 \ + = CH 3 . CHO + C0 2 + H 2 



(COOH 

 lactic acid aldehyde 



or generally 



|OH 

 chJ +o = c_h _ 1 .CHO + C0 2 + H 2 



' ICOOH 

 acid aldehyde 



The aldehyde may then be further oxidised in the system into 

 carbonic acid and water 



O u _p u _ } . CHO + 3 „ = nC0 2 + nH 2 0, 



or combining with newly formed HON may produce a fresh cyan- 

 alcohol and so again take its place in the tissue. 



Or the aldehyde from lactic acid may combine with the S0 3 H 



(OH 



disengaged from the benzene nucleus forming C 2 H 4 j ~ „ „ which 



fOTT 



combining with ammonia produces C 2 H 4 •)„„ „„ , and this in 



the laboratory may be transformed into Taurine C 2 H 4 •!„„ * . A 



comparison of the graphic formula of Tyrosine with that of 

 albumen already given shows how this body is derived. 



Suppose now the bond connecting the benzene nucleus was 



(OH 

 broken at the point connecting it with the cyan-alcohol C 2 H 4 jp^ 



and separated from the CH 2 series ; the latter would then undergo 

 the changes already described, whereas the former would be con- 

 verted into lactic acid and ammonia, the latter combining with 



(OH 



the next molecule of C 2 H 4 -j _,„ to form a cyanamide. In this 



way lactic acid would be formed at two different points, and being 

 derived from ethene and ethidene cyanhydrins would possess the 

 characters of sarco-lactic acid. 



Let us go back and consider case (iii) where the molecule 

 (OH 



CH »1 



^CN . NH a is detached from the chain; if after its separation 



chJ 



ICN 



