CHEMICAL LABILITY. 
21 
Later followed the preparation of paraamidobenzaldehyde 
and of amidovaleraldehyde. 1 ) Quite recently the amidoethyl- 
aldehyde was prepared by E. Fischer.*) This substance is only 
stable in form of salts, and changes so rapidly after being set 
free, that it loses its power of reducing Fehling’ s solution within 
one hour, and becomes transformed into a gelatinous substance. 
Also the diamido-aceton soon changes spontaneously to an amor¬ 
phous substance if set free from its combination with acids. 1 2 3) 
We observe therefore, that there exist labil amido-combinations 
which undergo spontaneously a rapid change,—losing thereby 
their original characteristics.—That here is a certain analogy to 
the change of protoplasm, when it passes from life to death, can 
hardly be denied if we see, that hydroxylamin and diamid, the 
most characteristic properties of which is their great ability to 
react in high dilution and at ordinary temperature upon al¬ 
dehydes,—have no longer any action upon dead protoplasm, nor any 
influence upon ordinary soluble proteids at ordinary temperature. 4) 
—Those physiologists, who still cling to the old notions of the 
identity of proteids in the living and the dead protoplasm, will 
never have an understanding of the cause of the vital functions, 
they will be at a loss to conceive the method of poisonous 
actions ! 
If a change takes place from a labil to a stable character, 
if the cell dies, the reverse transformation must succeed, if by 
growing and multiplying animal cells pepton is resorbed for the 
formation of living protoplasm. Here kinetic energy is trans¬ 
formed into potential energy, passive groups become active ones. 
Labil combinations occupy a larger molecular volume than the 
isomeric stable ones, hence work must be produced by the 
conversion of the latter into the former. On the other hand 
contraction and development of heat will result if the active, 
labil albumen passes into the passive condition. Contraction 
of the protoplasm is indeed taking place with the death of the 
1) Wolff enstein , Ber. Deutsch. Chem. Ges. Vol. 25, p. 2777. 
2) Ibid. Vol. 26, p. 92. 
3) Rügheimcr and Mischel, Ibid. Vol. 25, p. 1563. 
4) It would be incompatible with the spirit of science to avoid the logical 
conclusions to which the toxicological facts mentioned, must lead. There exist 
physiologists who would declare all conclusions premature, but have they considered 
what good grounds exist for such an assertion ? 
