ANIMAL tOXIKS. 53 



of view we see, therefore, that the preparation of 

 antidiastases permits us to differentiate certain 

 diastases that could otherwise not be differentiated. 



III. ANIMAL TOXINS. 



As we have shown at the beginning of this chapter, 

 certain diastases, and particularly those that are 

 concerned with the digestive processes, pepsin, 

 trypsin, etc., and which are produced in abundance 

 by the entire living organism, possess quite clearly 

 defined toxic properties, and sometimes to even a 

 considerable ex;tent.* 



Hemialbumose, from which peptones are formed, 

 is itself a dangerous toxin. It is generally believed 

 that the toxic action of the peptones and of the 

 products of digestion of the albuminoids is due not 

 to the peptone itself, but to the more advanced 

 products of digestion, alkaloidal products unques- 

 tionably closely allied to the ptomaines. 



Nevertheless, the true peptones behave just 

 like true poisons, when they are introduced hypo- 

 dermically into the blood. f 



Brieger has made us acquainted with a non- 

 proteid substance, under the name of " peptotoxin," 

 which is met with at the beginning of the putre- 



* GusTAVE Saux: De la toxicity des produits de la digestion 

 peptique. ThSse de doctorat, Bordeaux, 1902. 

 f Schmidt; Muhlheim, Arch, de physiol., 1880. 



