Carbon Chemistry with Vital Phenomena. 353 



cellulose fibres, we have found to be so considerably weakened 

 by previously boiling the fibre in a solution of acid sodium 

 sulphite as to be afterwards in many cases quite undistinguish- 

 able. As the loss in weight due to this treatment is imper- 

 ceptible, and the lignin substance remains practically un- 

 changed, the colour-reaction in question is referable to the 

 presence of some body resulting from a superficial decompo- 

 sition (oxidation) of the lignin substance. These observations 

 are a strong confirmation of the view enunciated with much 

 emphasis by Sachs* many years ago, that the only inference 

 to be drawn from the biochemical facts then established is that 

 lignin and cellulose are genetically connected. 



In our early work on bast-fibres, we were led to regard 

 the jute-fibre as typical of a class of bodies analogous to the 

 glucosides, and which we termed cellulides, a name which suffi- 

 ciently explains our views. Subsequently to this, we found 

 that Hlasiwetzf had arrived at similar conclusions in discussing 

 the chemico-physiological relationships of the tannins, phloba- 

 phenes, resins, and glucosides. He not only regards cellu- 

 lose, tannins, and resins as genetically connected, but is con- 

 vinced of the a priori probability of the existence of series of 

 gummides and mannides parallel with the glucosides. We 

 take this as an additional warrant for the correctness of our 

 view; and in conformity with these conclusions and subse- 

 quent experience, we may state our hypothesis with more 

 emphasis to be, that the fibre substance of lignified fibres is, in 

 its chemical constitution, dominated by the cellulose mole- 

 cule, upon which aromatic molecules, resulting from intrinsic 

 modification of the cellulose itself, have been built. Whether 

 the aromatic molecule is of the nature of a quinone, as would 

 seem to be indicated by the products of the action of chlorine, 

 we have some hesitation in affirming, recognizing more clearly 

 than we then did the difficulty of reasoning from the pro- 

 ducts of decomposition of once living substances back to the 

 condition under which they are formed. 



The celluloses, which constitute the framework upon which 

 the plant world is developed, being regarded thus as capable 

 of modification, and lignification as the first of the series of 

 changes through which they pass from the group of carbo- 

 hydrates, to which they originally belong, to the extended 

 range of naturally occurring substances of aromatic character 

 included in the large group of astringents, in the several 

 varieties of coal, and probably also of other important groups, 



* Sachs, ibid. Cf. Koroll, Quant. Chem., unters. Zstg. Kork, Bast 

 &c: Diss., Dorpat (1880). 



f Chem. Soc. .Journ. xxxyiii. p. 6665 Ann. Chem. Pharm. csliii. p. 40. 



