May 3, 1901.] 
when the maltose was increased beyond 
14.5%. This is in strict conformity with 
the law that ‘‘ every reaction proceeds to a state 
of equilibrium, with a definite reaction velocity.” 
The phenomena of reversible reactions 
have been well worked out, and Konowa- 
low’s reaction of acetic acid upon pentene: 
CH,CO.OH+C;H,9 = ~.CH,C0.0(C;Hn), 
a 
has been shown to conform to the require- 
ments of the law of mass-action by Nernst 
and Hohmann. 
Another very important observation made 
by Bredig and von Berneck is that ‘“rela- 
tively minute portions of certain substances 
are able to inhibit the catalytic action of 
platinum, and that these are substances 
which exert a markedly poisonous effect on 
the living cell and on enzymes. 1/345,000 
gram-molecule per liter of hydrogen sul- 
phide already exerts astrongly restraining 
action. 1/1,000 gram-molecule per liter of 
hydroecyanie acid stops it entirely, and 
much less is able to retard it greatly. 
Carbon disulphide, and mercuric chloride 
show a similar behavior.”’ This again paral- 
lels the action of ferments and antiferments. 
Were it necessary, many other interesting 
parallels could be drawn to show the inti- 
mate connection between the phenomena 
of fermentation and the phenomena of 
chemical action; but this must suffice to 
authorize the statement that the complex 
phenomena of fermentation can be best 
understood when viewed from the pinnacle 
of modern chemical theory—the A vogadro- 
yan’t Hoff rule, the phase rule, electrolytic 
dissociation and the doctrine of energy. 
Having shown that chemistry helps us to 
understand fermentation, let us see what 
light it is capable of shedding upon infec- 
tion. 
INFECTION. 
The fact that the poisonous action of the 
bacteria is due to the soluble products 
formed by the bacteria was established by 
SCIENCE. 
691 
Panum in 1874. Later, Koch, Chauveau 
and others succeeded in separating these 
poisons from the bacteria, and by inoculat- 
ing animals with them proved that the 
proliferation of a number of pathogenic or- 
ganisms in the body was less injurious to 
the body than the soluble poisons produced 
by them. Brieger viewed these poisons as 
organic bases, the so-called ptomains ; but, 
subsequently some of them were shown to 
be either proteid or proteid-like bodies, and 
many of them acted not unlike digestive 
ferments. Brieger and Frankel named the 
proteid-like bodies toxalbumins. Among 
the toxins are uncrystallizable poisons, the 
complex chemical structure of which has 
not yet been made out. The ptomains are 
erystallizable products of bacterial activity 
somewhat analogous to the vegetable alka- 
loids. Some possess toxic properties, while 
others do not. The chemical structure of 
some of them is well known, but the struc- 
ture of toxalbumins is a problem for future 
work. 
In his work on ‘ Ptomaines and Leuco- 
maines,’ Vaughan points out a very inter- 
esting chemical relationship between some 
of the non-poisonous and poisonous mem- 
bers of the cholin group. Starting with 
trimethyl-ethyl-ammonium hydroxide, by 
oxidation cholin, neurin, betain and mus- 
carin are derived as follows: 
CH, CH,.0H 
| | 
CH, +O0=—> CH, 
| S | 
N(CH,),0H N(CH,),0H ; 
(Trimethyl-ethyl- 
ammonium hydroxide. ) 
(Cholin. ) 
(Oxyethyl-trimethyl-am- 
monium hydroxide. ) 
CH,.0H CH, 
| 
CH, — H,0=> CH 
| | 
N(CH,),0H N(CH,),0H; 
(Cholin. ) (Neurin: Vinyl-tri- 
methyl-ammonium hy- 
droxide. ) 
