28 
granted also the privilege of working in the Mycological Depart- 
ment of the Heriot-Watt College, Edinburgh, under its director, 
Dr. Westergaard. I wish to express here my sincere thanks 
for this. 
In the two reports which follow will be found an account of 
the methods employed by me and the results which I have 
obtained in determining whether or not proteolytic enzymatic 
activity is generally present in fungi and bacteria. 
FIRST REPORT. 
Up to the present I have confined my attention entirely to 
the higher fungi, as these can be most readily obtained in 
September and October growing in large numbers in woodland 
and meadow, and I have left the lower forms, which can be 
cultivated in the laboratory at any time for subsequent experi- 
ment. . 
Towards the end of September the following species of fungi 
were collected :— . 
Agaricus melleus, A. sulphureus, A. squarrosus, Merulius 
lacrymans, Polyporus betulinus, P. sulphureus, P. squamosus, 
Lactarius insulsus, L. cilictoides, Russula Clusii, Cortinarius sp., 
Boletus sp. 
Preparation of Enzyme.—Each species of fungus was 
ground up separately in a mortar with sand and sufficient water 
to form a thick paste. After a homogeneous mixture had been 
obtained more water was added, and again the contents of the 
mortar were thoroughly mixed. The contents were then filtered, 
and to the filtrate was added twice its volume of absolute alcohol. 
On the addition of the alcohol a precipitate fell, which was filtered 
off, washed with alcohol and ether, and dried in a vacuum desic- 
cator over concentrated sulphuric acid at room tempera‘ure. 
My intention was, as stated in the account of the proposed 
work, to determine the proteolytic activity in each species of 
fungus by allowing the enzymatic preparation to act upon wheat 
protein, which is insoluble in water and soluble in 55 per cent. 
alcohol. 
The method used by Kjeldahl and afterwards by Weise to 
obtain this protein—by extracting wheat flour with 55 per cent. 
alcohol and freezing the extract,—gives a very small yield, and 
is in addition rather long and troublesome, and the following 
modification suggested by Dr. Westergaard was therefore 
adopted :— 
Preparation of Protein.—Gluten flour was extracted with 
three times its weight of 55 per cent. alcohol at room temperature 
