The Last Word 263 
Carbonic acid, 4°5 per cent. 
Oxygen, 12°8 per cent. 
Nitrogen, 82°7 per cent. 
A simple calculation shows that for every 
two unit-volumes of oxygen used up, one unit- 
volume of carbonic acid has been formed, 
Experiments conducted on parallel lines led 
to the same results. One may _ probably 
gather from this that oxidation is associated 
with a breaking up and giving off of carbon 
dioxide (Kohlenstoffabspaltung). 
Whether the oxidation is preceded by a 
splitting off of glucosides has not been definitely 
determined. Lazarus certainly affirms that a 
glucoside (cacaonine) occurs in fresh beans, 
being composed of sugar, cacao-red and 
the alkaloids caffeine and  theobromine.' 
Schweitzer? has confirmed this, and also iso- 
lated an enzyme capable of splitting glucoside. 
These experiments require repeating and 
checking, however. 
The behaviour of the beans having white 
nibs differs from that of those with bluish-red ° 
cotyledons, in that the devitalizing temperature 
of the oxidase stands at about 5° to 10° C. 
higher. In other respects the conditions are 
the same. The tannin-containing cells of the 
white beans are just as much developed, as 
may be shown by treating sections with tannin 
1 Review, Botanisches Centralblatt, 1893, Bd.. Ilvi, 
p. 296. 
: Pusamwactittioh Zeitung, 1898, Bd. xliii, p. 381. 
