536 Dr Latlmm , On the formation of lactic acid, etc. 
On the formation of lactic acid and carbonic acid during muscular 
contraction and rigor mortis. By P. W. Latham, M.D., Gonville 
and Cains College. 
[ Read 9 March 1908.] 
{Abstract.) 
By combining prussic acid with pyruvic acid CH 3 . CO . CQOH 
and subsequent hydrolysis methyl-tartronic acid 
CH 3 .C(OH).(COOH) 2 
is produced. When decomposed this acid is resolved exactly into 
lactic acid CH 3 . CH(OH). COOH and C0 2 . Dr Latham suggested 
that the nitrile of this acid CH 3 . C(OH) . (CN),, which by hydro- 
lysis is resolved into lactic acid, C0 2 and 2NH 3 formed one of the 
constituents of proteid matter, and that during muscular con- 
traction the NH 3 combined with other constituents, the lactic 
acid and C0 2 being alone set free. He supported this hypothesis 
by showing how, in the earliest stages in the genesis of organic 
matter in plants, this substance can be formed from acetic 
anhydride and prussic acid 
(CH 3 . CO) 2 . 0— 2CH 3 . CO . CN->2CH 3 . C(OH) . (CN) 2 
which when combined with NH 3 forms amino-iso-succinic nitrile 
CH 3 . C (NH 2 ) . (CN) 2 . The latter by hydrolysis being resolved 
into CH 3 . C(NH 2 ) . (CO OH), + 2NH 3 or into a-alanine 
CH,.CH(NH.).COOH 
/nh 2 
and urea CO the latter being resolved into CO, -f 2NH 3 . 
\NH 2 
He then pointed out that Schutzenberger ( Comptes Rendus, 
t. 80, p. 232), in his earliest experiments on the decomposition of 
albumin, obtained among other products an isomeride of aspartic 
acid, C 4 H 7 N0 4 , differing from it, however, in being highly soluble 
in water. It was now suggested that this compound was iso- 
aspartic acid CH 3 . C (NH 2 ) . (COOH) 2 arising, as shown above, 
from CH 3 . C (OH) . (CN) 2 . Another substance obtained by 
Schutzenberger “ gave numbers corresponding to di-amino-citric 
acid” C 6 H u N, 0 6 . It was suggested that this formula should be 
C c H 12 N,0 6 ; in which case it was a compound of glycocoll 
CH 2 .(NH 2 ).COOH, 
and the above-mentioned iso-aspartic acid ; these two substances 
being derived respectively from amino-malonic nitrile, and methyl 
tartronic nitrile, which therefore must be regarded as constituents 
of the living proteid molecule. 
