790 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XL. No. 1039 



tion of egg-albumen may (under certain cir- 

 cumstances) produce organic renal and hepa- 

 tic changes may mean that splitting of the 

 whole protein leads to these changes, that the 

 effects are the results of the irritant action of 

 substances set free during splitting, or that 

 moieties of the protein molecule by making 

 abnormal combinations may act as irritants, 

 or in some other undetermined way embarrass 

 the activities of the cells of the tissues in 

 which they occur. 



In two former publications, Newburgh and 

 P reported the results of a series of injections 

 of indol and tyrosin in animals, and stated 

 that we were able to discover little if any 

 change in any of the parenchymatous organs. 

 In the present series use has been made of so- 

 lutions of albumose as represented by Witte's 

 peptone. 



The protocols follow: In them the expres- 

 sion " peptone solutions " means one prepared 

 as foUows and then sterilized: 



Witte's peptone 1 gram. 



Sodium, chloride 0.5 " 



Distilled water 100.0 c.c. 



Guinea-pig 1. — Weight 400 grams. This 

 animal received 17 daily injections each of 

 1.5 c.c. of the peptone solution, a total of 25.5 

 c.c, or .255 gram of albumose. It died sud- 

 denly on the day following the last injection. 

 The cause of death was not discovered. The 

 post-mortem was done while the animal was 

 still warm, and showed no other changes than 

 a slight mediastinal edema, moderate hyper- 

 plasia of the lymph-nodes and congestion of 

 the lungs, liver, spleen and kidneys. Micro- 

 scopic examination (Lab. No. 1078) of the 

 tissues showed edema and congestion with oc- 

 casional small hemorrhages in the kidneys, 

 with a few areas of small round cell infiltra- 

 tion; enormous congestion of the adrenals; 

 edema and focal necroses of the thymus; and 

 hyperplastic changes associated with conges- 

 tion in the lymph glands and spleen. The 

 spleen was more than normally pigmented. 



3Woolley and Newburgh, J. A. M. A., 1911 

 (56), 1796; and Newburgh and Woolley, Cin. 

 Laneet-Glmic, April 13, 1912. 



Guinea-pig 2. — Weight about 350 grams. 

 This animal received 57 daily injections each 

 of 1.5 c.c. of the peptone solution; a total of 

 85.5 c.c, or .855 gram of albumose. Dur- 

 ing the period of treatment it gave no sign of 

 any untoward effects of the treatment. It ate 

 well, lost no weight, and was finally chloro- 

 formed 72 hours after the last injection. 

 The post-mortem was done while the body was 

 still warm. The organs showed no abnormal 

 macroscopic or microscopic (Lab. No. 1205) 

 lesions, other than a moderate, generalized 

 congestion associated with a very moderate 

 edema of the parenchymatous organs. This, 

 however, was no more than is usual after 

 chloroform anesthesia. 



Guinea-pig 3. — Weight about 400 grams. 

 This animal received 30 daily intraperitoneal 

 injections each of 1.5 c.c. of the peptone solu- 

 tion, a total of 5 c.c or .45 gram of albu- 

 mose. It was killed with chloroform. The 

 post-mortem showed only a very moderate 

 congestion and edema of the liver, spleen, kid- 

 neys and adrenals, and a slight hyperplasia 

 of the mesenteric lymph glands. Microscopic 

 examination (Lab. No. 1179) showed nothing 

 abnormal except perhaps a slight degree of 

 hyperplasia of the mesenteric lymph glands. 



Guinea-pig If. — Weight about 400 grams. 

 This animal received 5 c.c. of the peptone so- 

 lution each day for 7 days, 35 c.c, or .35 

 gram of albumose. It was killed with chloro- 

 form. At autopsy nothing was found which 

 was abnormal. Microscopic examination 

 (Lab. No. 1243) was equally negative. 



Guinea-pig 5. — Weight about 350 grams. 

 This animal was treated in the same manner 

 as No. 4 for a period of 20 days, during which 

 time it received a total of 100 c.c of the pep- 

 tone solution, or 1 gram of albumose. It was 

 chloroformed and autopsied. During the 

 period of treatment it lost 87 grams in weight. 

 At autopsy nothing noticeable was found ex- 

 cept a partially healed meager exudate on the 

 surface of the spleen. The peritoneal cavity 

 contained 2 c.c. of a clear fluid. Microscopic 

 examination of the tissues (Lab. No. 1276) 

 showed no lesions except in the case of the 

 spleen, in which there was an increased amount 



