931 
22 mm. mereury (c,d) and after several more injections of peptone, 
0.001 adrenalin gave a rise of the bloodpressure of 20, 20, 22, 20 
and after this of 30 mm. Hg. (e —#). Though slight, this is nevertheless 
a clear increase in the rise of the bloodpressure and moreover the 
fall, which invariably followed after the rise with the first doses of 
adrenalin, had disappeared, as is the rule in such cases. In connection 
with a circumstance to be discussed lower down, it should here be 
pointed out directly that at the beginning of the experiment, 1.e. 
when the adrenalin-action was still weak, the initial bloodpressure 
was 90—84 mm. Hg., while later on when the adrenalin action 
had augmented, the initial bloodpressure was higher viz. 106—100 mm. 
mercury. In five out of six cases we found an increase of the 
adrenalin-action by Witt’s peptone. Besides the decapitated cat, also 
the narcotized rabbit and the decerebrated rabbit were examined on 
the action of Witte's peptone. In either case we indeed found a 
slight increase, but on the whole the influence of peptone on the 
adrenalin-action was very insignificant. Of course this concerns small 
doses only; when large doses of peptone are given, the result, in 
the cat as well as in the rabbit, is mostly first a phase in which 
the adrenalin has less effect than before, after this a phase in which 
small doses of adrenalin do not act at all, and finally a condition 
in which the bloodpressure of the animal is lowered in consequence 
of the peptone-injection and the cardiac action is arrested. Besides 
this action of peptone on the adrenalin-rise of the blood-pressure 
we also examined the effect of peptone-injections on cholin-action. 
As known, cholin in small doses has a lowering effect on the blood- 
pressure; in large doses it raises the bloodpressure after administration 
of atropin. We have noted the effect of peptone on the lowering 
influence on the blood-pressure of small doses of cholin in the cat 
and in the rabbit. We did not find any definite effect. It seemed, 
however, that after the administration of peptone or of the dialysate 
of peptone, the decrease in the bloodpressure caused by cholin, 
became less. Once a slight rise was noticed instead of a fall. 
Because we consider the effect of peptone on the adrenalin-action 
in the decapitated cat as the most striking result, we took this 
action as the basis for a closer investigation. 
First of all we have tried to ascertain whether this action of 
Witte's peptone is proper to all the component parts of this sub- 
stance, or whether perhaps ingredients might be separated from the 
peptone, that are specially characterized by this property. This really 
proved to be the case. When we examined the influence of a Witte’s 
peptone dialysate on the adrenalin-action in the decapitated cat, it 
