374 
'Action  of  the  Enzymes. 
fAm.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Augii8t,  lyii.i 
mostly  of  carbon,  hydrogen,  oxygen  and  nitrogen,  and  build  up 
within  themselves  the  sugars  and  vegetable  proteids,  which  in  turn 
are  so  necessary  for  the  growth  and  maintenance  of  the  animal 
kingdom.  For  a  long  time  it  was  believed  that  all  proteids  were 
the  products  of  vegetable  life,  but  when  the  differences  between  the 
various  complex  albumins  were  studied,  it  was  seen  that  the  albumins 
found  in  animals  were  diff'erent  from  the  albumins  found  in  plants, 
and  it  is  now  known  that  no  matter  from  what  source  the  animal 
takes  its  food,  the  proteids  have  to  be  catalyzed  before  they  are 
fit  for  its  economy. 
Digestion  in  itself  is  an  extremely  simple  word,  but  it  is  very 
comprehensive,  and  few  realize  how  much  is  included  in  the  process. 
Some  authorities  consider  enzyme  actions  as  a  part  of  the  vital  proc- 
esses themselves,  but  others  evidently  cannot  see  beyond  the  ma- 
terial reactions  that  occur,  until  even  in  these  days  of  advanced 
science  no  acceptable  agreement  is  absolutely  settled  upon.  The 
subject  is  necessarily  a  theoretical,  indeed  an  obscure  inquiry.  In 
recent  years  a  dynamic  conception  of  the  powers  seems  to  be  more 
and  more  acceptable  and  at  least  two  advocates  of  such  explanation 
would  appear  to  approximate  a  reasonable  theory  for  these  processes. 
Naegeli  assumes  that  catalysis  is  induced  by  vibratory  action,  and, 
apropos,  it  might  be  well  to  remind  you  that  it  is  a  generally 
accepted  hypothesis  to  consider  that  the  atoms  of  every  molecule 
of  matter  are  never  at  rest,  but  that  they  vibrate  in  a  state  of 
equilibrium  which  is  consistent  to  the  maintenance  of  its  specific 
whole.  It  is  supposed  that  the  catalyzing  agent — the  enzyme — 
coming  in  contact  with  a  body  favorable  to  its  action,  communicates 
the  vibrations  of  its  atoms  to  the  atoms  of  the  molecules  of  the 
body  that  is  being  digested  and  breaks  down  their  staple  tension  with 
a  natural  reduction  of  its  complexes  into  other  and  simpler  com- 
pounds. To  get  a  better  appreciation  of  what  this  atomic  rearrange- 
ment may  mean,  we  must  remember  that  Grubler  has  estimated 
that  the  molecular  weight  of  vitellin  was  8848,  from  which  was  de- 
duced the  formula  C092H481NJJ0O83S2,  and  that  Sabanejeff  has  de- 
termined that  the  molecular  weight  of  ovalbumin  was  15,000.  The 
atomic  rearrangement  in  the  changes  that  might  occur  in  such  com- 
plexes, especially  if  modified  or  interfered  with  by  external  factors 
and  inequalities  would  suggest  a  procession  of  geometric  possibilities. 
The  dynamic  law  of  Laplace  and  Berthollet  "  That  an  atom  or  mole- 
cule put  in  motion  by  any  power  whatever  may  communicate  its  own 
