On the Presence, of a Glycolytic Enzyme in Muscle, 325 



each of two flasks. In one of them the juice was boiled so as to 

 destroy any glycolytic ferment it might contain. Into each flask we 

 then placed 30 c.c. of a 2 per cent, sterile solution of diabetic sugar. 

 They were incubated for forty-eight hours. The amount of sugar 

 in each flask was then ascertained by titration with Fehling's solution 

 in the same way as before, and the result obtained was 1 \5 per cent, 

 of diabetic sugar in the flask containing boiled meat juice, and only 

 075 per cent, in the flask containing unboiled juice. A very distinct 

 glycolytic action is thus shown by this experiment, which was repeated 

 three times with identical results. 



A number of experiments were now made to isolate an enzyme by 

 dialysis through membranes consisting of sausage skin or parchment. 

 In the first series a distinct glycolytic action was observed, but this 

 was probably due to bacterial action, as the media became turbid, and 

 in a subsequent series made with aseptic precautions no glycolytic 

 power was observed in the dialysate, although a flocculent precipitate 

 resulted on the addition of absolute alcohol. 



An attempt was made in another series of experiments to isolate the 

 glycolytic ferment of muscle itself by precipitation. These were not 

 successful. Fresh juice was mixed with four times its volume of 

 absolute alcohol, the precipitate was collected, dried and pulverised. 

 It was then extracted with glycerine, but this extract had little or no 

 glycolytic power. It gave a white flocculent precipitate with absolute 

 alcohol, which was soluble in saline solution, but which was quite with- 

 out any glycolytic action whatever. The action of muscle juice was 

 also tested on neutral diabetic urine and on a neutral solution of com- 

 mercial dextrose. The results were as follows : — 



Flask C contained 2 c.c. boiled muscle juice and 10 c.c. neutral 



diabetic urine. 



„ D ,, 2 c.c. unboiled muscle juice and 10 c.c. neutral 

 diabetic urine. 



After 50 hours' incubation at 37° C. 

 C contained 1*25 per cent, of dextrose. 

 D „ 0-75 



Flask E contained 2 c.c. boiled muscle juice, 10 c.c. neutral diabetic- 

 urine and 1 c.c. of a 1 per cent, solution of 

 lactic acid. 



,, F ,, 2 c.c. unboiled juice, urine, and lactic acid as E. 



Again after incubation 



E contained 2*5 per cent, dextrose. 

 F „ 0-5 



Flask G contained 2 c.c. boiled muscle juice, 10 c.c. neutral solution 

 of - 5 per cent, commercial dextrose. 



