Physiology of the carbohydrates : an epicriticism / by F. W. Pavy.

Date:
1895
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Physiology of the carbohydrates : an epicriticism / by F. W. Pavy. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    98/172 (page 74)
    Now it happens that a mode of experimenting is open to us which carries us entirely away from the possible influence of life. It is known that ferments are susceptible of being precipitated by alcohol with- out having their activity destroyed. The liver treated with alcohol, and subsequently suitably dried, yields a product which may be preserved for an indefinite time. I experimented largely upon this subject with the liver of the rabbit, dog, and cat, long before Dr. Paton’s experiments were conducted. The results given in my book are derived from a series planned upon the strength of what I had previously obserwed. In the one case (p. 150) the coagulated liver was dealt with alone ; in the other (p. 154) some sponta- neously dried blood was added. The results are arranged in a tabular form to show the progressive change that occurred from half an hour onwards to seven hours. The liver was derived from the dog, and the preliminary analysis of it in the fresh state showed that a good amount of glycogen was present. A representation is given of the progressive loss of glycogen and production of sugar, and, moreover, tbe figures for the sugar were determined before and after treatment with sulphuric acid. All this infor- mation is supplied, and it is perceptible from it that the difference as regards rate of change which Dr. Paton adduces as affording evidence of tbe operation of vitality is visible in my results. Dr. Paton says it is in the first lialf-hour or so after an animal is killed that the conversion of glycogen into glucose proceeds most rapidly. Identically tbe