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"GLUCOSIDE CONSTITUTION OF PROTEID MATTER."

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1106 an admirable example of what such papers should be, and his conclusions were at once accepted. Similar remarks apply to his description of 11 aneurisms which do not Pulsate," "Diffuse Lipoma," and " Joint Disease in Con- nexion with Locomotor Ataxy." But he did not confine himself to professional literature ; his spare moments were devoted to writing on the " Orders and Ordinances of the Hospital of Bartholomew the. Lesse " and other analogous subjects, which he was all the better enabled to write about on account of the unrivalled collection of old prints and engravings of the hospital in its various stages of growth and development which he had collected and was always willing to display when occasion demanded. The accompanying portrait will recall him to his friends far more than any mere description. Early in life he was a finely built, handsome man, fond of boxing as a pastime in his student days. He was a good change slow bowler, and has proved his prowess in more than one match of the staff versns the students. His interest in cricket he never lost, and he might some- times be seen in later years watching the Gentlemen ’, v. Players at Lord’s. Consistent, kind almost to fault, z, thoughtful for others, his advice was often sought and often acted on, but he could be severe and administer stern reproof if occasion required. Few men took more trouble to get at the truth of any story of distress, and none was more ready to help when help was needed, always taking care not to let his right hand know what his left hand did. ARTHUR CHARLES COPEMAN, M.B. LOND., M.R.C.S. ENG., L.S.A., HONORARY CANON OF NORWICH. 15Y tne aeatn or uanon uopeman, wnicn occurred on Sept 27th, the Church has lost a devoted servant and Norwich one of her most valued citizens. Born in 1824, trained for both a clerical and a medical career, and familiar with human life in m3.ny varied aspects, he spent his active years in energetically working for the good of his fellow men. In his young days his thoughts were first directed to medicine, which he studied at King’s College to such good purpo=!3 that he not only became a Member of the Royal Co:lege of Surgeons of England and a Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries in 1845, but gave a further proof of his ability by graduating as M.B. of the University of London in 1848. Had he continued an active member of the medical profession he would no doubt have met with much success, but another field of labour claimed him, for in 1851 he took holy orders, and was the same year appointed curate of St. Nicholas in Warwick. In 1854 Wisbech, where he was at that time curate, was so severely visited by cholera that from the middle of August to the middle of October there were 140 cases and fifty deaths, during which trying period Mr. Copeman remained faithfully at his post and was able to do much to relieve the sufferings and distress of his parishioners. Such devotion was naturally appreciated by the people, who, when he left Wisbech for Norwich in 1856, presented him with a handsome testimonial, consisting mainly of books and money. Mr. Copeman was vicar of St. Andrew’s, Norwich, from 1856 to the time of his death ; he also held several other ecclesiastical offices, including those of Rural Dean of Norwich (since 1870) and Honorary Canon of Norwich (since 1877). The funeral service was held in St. Andrew’s Church, and the interment took place at the neighbouring parish of Coltishall, of which the deceased was at one time curate. DEATHS OF EMINENT FOREIGN MEDICAL MEN.-The deaths of the following eminent foreign medical men are announced :—Dr. Theodore Margo, Professor of Comparative Anatomy and Zoology in the University of Vienna, aged eighty years.-Dr. Rochard, formerly President of the Paris Academy of Medicine.-Dr. Jos von Kerschensteiner, Pre- sident of the Superior Medical Council of Bavaria.-Dr. W. H. Ross, formerly Professor of Anatomy in the Mobile Medical College, Alabama.--Dr. Callender, Professor of Neurology in the Vanderbilt University, Nashville.-Dr. Elsworth F. Smith, Emeritus Professor of Pathological Anatomy in the St. Louis Medical College. "GLUCOSIDE CONSTITUTION OF PROTEID MATTER." DR. PAVY, in his paper on the Glucoside Constitution of Proteid Matter, read at the Physiological Section of the meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science recently held at Liverpool, reviewed the present position of the question, which is, he observed, of fundamental importance to physiology. Glucosides, he remarked, are bodies which, when acted upon by ferments, by acids or alkalies, and even by water at an elevated temperature, undergo cleavage or disruption, a carbohydrate being one of the products. Such bodies have long been known to chemists in the vegetable kingdom. Salicin is an example of a very simple glucoside. It contains only the three elements- carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. A more complex gluco- side is amygdalin, which contains the four elements-carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Myrosin, contained in black mustard seed, affords an example of a glucoside in which complexity has gone a step further, for it contains sulphur in addition to the four elements just mentioned. Of a much greater degree of complexity are certain bodies which form the basis of living matter. Thus mucin, which is found not only in mucus, but is a constituent of connective tissue, was shown not long ago by Landwehr to be in constitu- tion a glucoside. He (Dr. Pavy) in 18941 advanced evidence to prove that proteid matter generally, whether derived from the animal or the vegetable kingdom, was in con- stitution a glucoside. He was led to this conclusion by the results of his quantitative examinations of the various components of the body for glycogen. In making the esti- mation of glycogen the process followed for many years was to dissolve the substance by boiling with a solution of potash, to pour the resulting solution into alcohol, to collect the precipitate thus produced, to convert it into glucose with sulphuric acid, and to estimate the amount of glucose thus obtained by titrating with the copper test. The pro- duct obtained by boiling with potash and precipitating with alcohol was at first looked upon by him as glycogen, but this view became untenable when it was ascertained by further experiments that the quantity yielded varied when the length of time during which the potash was caused to act, or the strength of the potash solution was varied. Had glycogen been the sole source of the product, treatment with potash should have produced no effect beyond dissolving the nitrogenous matter with which it was associated. The actual quantity of glucose-yielding substance should not have been increased by varying the strength of the alkali or the length of time for which it was permitted to act. The conclusion was inevitable that there must be something beyond glycogen, and the only feasible conclusion was that. an amylose carbohydrate, which was not glycogen, was liberated by a cleavage of the proteid molecule produced by the action of the alkali. Purified egg albumen was chosen as a convenient proteid for further experiment. By the action , on it of potash an amylose carbohydrate corresponding ho Landwehr’s "animal gum " is obtained and can be converted by sulphuric acid into a body giving the various character- istic reactions of sugar. It was found, further, that sugar is yielded by the direct action of sulphuric acid on egg albumen and that the same occurs as a result of pepsin digestion. Details on these points were published by him (Dr. Pavy) in 1894,2 and subsequently 3 analytical evidence was, supplied by Mr. Ling which afforded decisive proof that the osazone derived from the cleavage product was a sugar osazone. He (Dr. Pavy) stated that since the publication of these results he had found that Schutzenberger upwards of’ twenty years ago had published analytical experiments which confirmed his own results. This distinguished chemist in recounting 4 his study of the products of the breaking up of egg albumen by strong chemical agents men- tioned that sulphuric acid caused the appearance of a. non-nitrogenous body which reduced F’ehling’s solution energetically, was precipitated by ammoniated acetate of lead solution and, to quote his actual words, " parait etre de la glucose ou un corps analogue." Schutzenberger found, also, that by exposing egg albumen to baryta water at 1000 C. 1 Physiology of the Carbohydrates, p. 27 et seq. 2 Loc. cit. 3 Epicriticism, 1895. 4 Bulletin de la Société Chimique de Paris, vol. xxiii., 1875, p. 161.
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Page 1: "GLUCOSIDE CONSTITUTION OF PROTEID MATTER."

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an admirable example of what such papers should be, andhis conclusions were at once accepted. Similar remarksapply to his description of 11 aneurisms which do not

Pulsate," "Diffuse Lipoma," and " Joint Disease in Con-nexion with Locomotor Ataxy." But he did not confinehimself to professional literature ; his spare moments weredevoted to writing on the " Orders and Ordinances of theHospital of Bartholomew the. Lesse " and other analogoussubjects, which he was all the better enabled to write abouton account of the unrivalled collection of old prints andengravings of the hospital in its various stages of growth anddevelopment which he had collected and was always willingto display when occasion demanded.The accompanying portrait will recall him to his

friends far more than any mere description. Early in lifehe was a finely built, handsome man, fond of boxingas a pastime in his student days. He was a goodchange slow bowler, and has proved his prowess inmore than one match of the staff versns the students.His interest in cricket he never lost, and he might some-times be seen in later years watching the Gentlemen ’,v. Players at Lord’s. Consistent, kind almost to fault, z,thoughtful for others, his advice was often sought and oftenacted on, but he could be severe and administer stern

reproof if occasion required. Few men took more trouble to

get at the truth of any story of distress, and none was moreready to help when help was needed, always taking carenot to let his right hand know what his left hand did.

ARTHUR CHARLES COPEMAN, M.B. LOND.,M.R.C.S. ENG., L.S.A.,

HONORARY CANON OF NORWICH.

15Y tne aeatn or uanon uopeman, wnicn occurred on

Sept 27th, the Church has lost a devoted servant andNorwich one of her most valued citizens. Born in 1824,trained for both a clerical and a medical career, and familiarwith human life in m3.ny varied aspects, he spent hisactive years in energetically working for the good of hisfellow men. In his young days his thoughts were first

directed to medicine, which he studied at King’s Collegeto such good purpo=!3 that he not only became a Memberof the Royal Co:lege of Surgeons of England and a

Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries in 1845, but gavea further proof of his ability by graduating as M.B. of theUniversity of London in 1848. Had he continued an activemember of the medical profession he would no doubt havemet with much success, but another field of labour claimedhim, for in 1851 he took holy orders, and was the same yearappointed curate of St. Nicholas in Warwick. In 1854Wisbech, where he was at that time curate, was so severelyvisited by cholera that from the middle of August to themiddle of October there were 140 cases and fifty deaths,during which trying period Mr. Copeman remained faithfullyat his post and was able to do much to relieve the sufferingsand distress of his parishioners. Such devotion was naturallyappreciated by the people, who, when he left Wisbechfor Norwich in 1856, presented him with a handsometestimonial, consisting mainly of books and money. Mr.Copeman was vicar of St. Andrew’s, Norwich, from 1856 tothe time of his death ; he also held several other ecclesiasticaloffices, including those of Rural Dean of Norwich (since1870) and Honorary Canon of Norwich (since 1877). Thefuneral service was held in St. Andrew’s Church, and theinterment took place at the neighbouring parish of Coltishall,of which the deceased was at one time curate.

DEATHS OF EMINENT FOREIGN MEDICAL MEN.-Thedeaths of the following eminent foreign medical men areannounced :—Dr. Theodore Margo, Professor of ComparativeAnatomy and Zoology in the University of Vienna, agedeighty years.-Dr. Rochard, formerly President of the ParisAcademy of Medicine.-Dr. Jos von Kerschensteiner, Pre-sident of the Superior Medical Council of Bavaria.-Dr.W. H. Ross, formerly Professor of Anatomy in the MobileMedical College, Alabama.--Dr. Callender, Professor of

Neurology in the Vanderbilt University, Nashville.-Dr.Elsworth F. Smith, Emeritus Professor of PathologicalAnatomy in the St. Louis Medical College.

"GLUCOSIDE CONSTITUTION OF PROTEIDMATTER."

DR. PAVY, in his paper on the Glucoside Constitution ofProteid Matter, read at the Physiological Section of the

meeting of the British Association for the Advancement ofScience recently held at Liverpool, reviewed the presentposition of the question, which is, he observed, of fundamentalimportance to physiology. Glucosides, he remarked, are

bodies which, when acted upon by ferments, by acids oralkalies, and even by water at an elevated temperature,undergo cleavage or disruption, a carbohydrate being one ofthe products. Such bodies have long been known to chemistsin the vegetable kingdom. Salicin is an example of a

very simple glucoside. It contains only the three elements-carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. A more complex gluco-side is amygdalin, which contains the four elements-carbon,hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Myrosin, contained inblack mustard seed, affords an example of a glucoside inwhich complexity has gone a step further, for it containssulphur in addition to the four elements just mentioned. Ofa much greater degree of complexity are certain bodies whichform the basis of living matter. Thus mucin, which is foundnot only in mucus, but is a constituent of connective tissue,was shown not long ago by Landwehr to be in constitu-tion a glucoside. He (Dr. Pavy) in 18941 advanced evidenceto prove that proteid matter generally, whether derivedfrom the animal or the vegetable kingdom, was in con-stitution a glucoside. He was led to this conclusion by theresults of his quantitative examinations of the variouscomponents of the body for glycogen. In making the esti-mation of glycogen the process followed for many years wasto dissolve the substance by boiling with a solution ofpotash, to pour the resulting solution into alcohol, to collectthe precipitate thus produced, to convert it into glucosewith sulphuric acid, and to estimate the amount of glucosethus obtained by titrating with the copper test. The pro-duct obtained by boiling with potash and precipitating withalcohol was at first looked upon by him as glycogen, butthis view became untenable when it was ascertained byfurther experiments that the quantity yielded varied whenthe length of time during which the potash was caused toact, or the strength of the potash solution was varied. Had

glycogen been the sole source of the product, treatment withpotash should have produced no effect beyond dissolving thenitrogenous matter with which it was associated. Theactual quantity of glucose-yielding substance should nothave been increased by varying the strength of the alkali orthe length of time for which it was permitted to act. Theconclusion was inevitable that there must be somethingbeyond glycogen, and the only feasible conclusion was that.an amylose carbohydrate, which was not glycogen, wasliberated by a cleavage of the proteid molecule produced bythe action of the alkali. Purified egg albumen was chosen asa convenient proteid for further experiment. By the action ,

on it of potash an amylose carbohydrate corresponding hoLandwehr’s "animal gum " is obtained and can be convertedby sulphuric acid into a body giving the various character-istic reactions of sugar. It was found, further, that sugaris yielded by the direct action of sulphuric acid on eggalbumen and that the same occurs as a result of pepsindigestion. Details on these points were published by him (Dr.Pavy) in 1894,2 and subsequently 3 analytical evidence was,supplied by Mr. Ling which afforded decisive proof that theosazone derived from the cleavage product was a sugarosazone. He (Dr. Pavy) stated that since the publication ofthese results he had found that Schutzenberger upwards of’twenty years ago had published analytical experiments whichconfirmed his own results. This distinguished chemist inrecounting 4 his study of the products of the breakingup of egg albumen by strong chemical agents men-

tioned that sulphuric acid caused the appearance of a.

non-nitrogenous body which reduced F’ehling’s solutionenergetically, was precipitated by ammoniated acetate oflead solution and, to quote his actual words, " parait etre dela glucose ou un corps analogue." Schutzenberger found,also, that by exposing egg albumen to baryta water at 1000 C.

1 Physiology of the Carbohydrates, p. 27 et seq.2 Loc. cit. 3 Epicriticism, 1895.

4 Bulletin de la Société Chimique de Paris, vol. xxiii., 1875, p. 161.

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for 120 hours he obtained a non-nitrogenous body, insolublein alcohol, precipitable by ammoniated acetate of lead, notreducing Fehling’s solution, but transformable by boilingwith sulphuric acid into a body which did. Its elementarycomposition was found to agree very closely with that ofdextrin, with which, Schutzenberger remarks, it presents thegreatest analogy. Baryta accomplished in 120 hours whatis accomplished by potash in half an hour. Schutzenbergerremarked that there is evidently a connexion between thebody obtained in these experiments with baryta and thecupric oxide reducing substance obtained in the experimentswith sulphuric acid. He (Dr. Pavy) pointed out that thoughhis own experiments were started from a point differingtotally from the purely chemical investigations of Schiitzen-berger the results were strictly comformable.

Schutzenberger’s results, however, had hitherto receivedlittle attention beyond an incidental mention in books of thebare facts he had observed. That proteid matter, Dr. Pavycontinued, should be a glucoside in constitution, was,-however, a point of the deepest physiological interest, andone which harmonised with facts which could be adduced asto its formation. Thus Pasteur’s experiment on the growthof yeast afforded irrefutable evidence that carbohydratematter is used up in the construction of proteid. He showedthat yeast cells multiplied freely in a medium consisting of<sugar, ammonium tartrate, the ash of yeast, and water. The

multiplication of the yeast eel’s implied a growth of cellprotoplasm and a corresponding formation of proteidmatter. Moreover, in the solution the ammonium tartratemay be replaced by ammonium nitrate, and then absolutelythe only source for the carbon of the proteid is the sugar.Carbohydrate matter thus shown to be incorporated in theproteid during its construction could, as he (Dr. Pavy) hadshown, be cleaved off from it again by chemical and fermentaction. He remarked that we were thus brought to this

position-the carbohydrate of food is in part applied to theconstruction of proteid matter and is in this locked-up con-dition conveyed to the tissues to supply the needs of theirgrowth and renovation. From the proteid of the tissues itmay be cleaved off by ferment action and this is probably thesource of the free carbohydrate found to be present to a certainextent in the various components of the body. There couldbe no doubt that in the grave form of diabetes the sugareliminated is derived not only from the food but also fromthe tissues. The glucoside constitution of proteid matterfitted in with this and afforded a ready explanation of theobserved facts, all that it was necessary to assume being theexistence in diabetes of the requisite ferment agency.

THE MANCHESTER SOCIETY OF FELLOWSOF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS

OF ENGLAND AND THE REPRE-SENTATION OF MEMBERSOF THE COLLEGE ON

THE COUNCIL.

WE are requested by the Committee of the Associationof Fellows to publish the following reply to Dr. James

Hardie’s article on " The Council of the Royal College ofSurgeons," which was recently sent round with the stamp ofapproval by the Executive Committee of the Manchester

Society of Fellows."1. Mr. Hardie states that in the Charter of 1800 ’the

duty of the promotion and encouragement of the study andpractice of the art and science of surgery was entrusted to abody which has had various names and is now known as theCouncil of the College.’ This is erroneous and misleading.The Charter of 1800 incorporated the members of the latecompany and some others who were authorised to practisethe art and science of surgery for the due promotion andencouragement of the study and practice of the said art andscience under the name of the Royal College of Surgeons inLondon, with perpetual successicn and a common seal.

" 2. Mr. Hardie objects to the use of the word representa-tive’ in connexion with Members of the Council because theword is not used in the Charter of 1843. In the ordinarysense of the word Members elected by a constituency repre-sent that constituency.

" 3. Mr. Hardie avers: There are no interests of Fellows

apart from those of Members, nor have the latter any apartfrom those of the former.’ Although some of the Fellowsare general practitioners a considerable number are consult-ants, and the Members generally have interests apart from,though not necessarily antagonistic to, those of the Fellowsarising out of their different spheres of practice.

" 4. Mr. Hardie says; The Council is an academic body,with objects apart from those of the profession generally.’The Council is not, and ought not to be, only an academicbody. The College is a great professional institution-inreality, a guild; and the Council has disciplinary and otherfunctions besides the academic in which the Members oughtto have a voice.

" 5. Mr. Hardie asks for proof that the Council has failedto fulfil its duties. That the Council properly fulfils itsacademic duties is not denied, but we do complain that theCouncil has been averse to perform its guild duties and hasin certain respects overlooked and even run counter to theinterests of the Members. For instance, had the Membersbeen consulted in regard to the conjoint scheme and theiropinion acted upon there can be little doubt that the Apothe-caries’ Society would have been included in the scheme andthe evil of competing examining bodies in London avoided.Other instances might be given, but we will only add herethat the reformed system of election to the Council and otherimprovements have been the result, not of volitional, butof reflex, action on the part of the Council.

" 6. Mr. Hardie asserts that the consideration by theCouncil of topics relating to the professional interests of theMembers of the College would be I lowerii3g’ to the Council.It is greatly to be regretted that there is any member of theCouncil who has so little sympathy with the practitioners ofsurgery ; but apart from that it may be observed that if thedaily practice of surgery in virtue of diplomas grantedunder the seal of the College is not lowering,’ topicsarising out of that: daily practice cannot be ’lowering’for the Council to consider. To lessen the struggles anddifficulties of surgical practice ought to be a congenial taskfor the Council of a great surgical institution.

" 7. Mr. Hardie says that taxation means representation,’and any argument for the representation of the Membersfounded on this dictum is the veriest claptrap. Taxation hasnever been said to ’mean representation,’ though it hasbeen regarded as a legitimate claim to it, and this view hasnever before been described as claptrap.’ That theMembers’ fees form a great part of the income of the Collegehas been considered in the judgment of many to give theMembers a just claim to a voice in its management, and itwould at least be good policy in the Council to conciliate abody upon whose loyalty and goodwill the prosperity of theCollege so intimately depends.

" 8. Mr. Hardie says that he does not believe there is anywidespread desire on the part of the Members of the Collegeto be represented on its Council. Our own belief is different,and it is at least certain that until the desire is satisfied noprogress is possible for the College, because this wouldinvolve a fresh charter, which would again be opposed, and,no doubt, again successfully opposed by the dissatisfiedMembers." 9. Mr. Hardie says : ’There is no extensive knowledge of

College politics either among Members or Fellows.’ Thiswe admit, and possibly the circulation of the reprint may beregarded as a symptom of it.

"10. Mr. Hardie intimates that the Fellowship is soughtfor because it confers a vote for, and a right after a certainperiod of eligibility to, the Council. The chief attraction ofthe Fellowship is not the vote or the eligibility forthe Council, but the fact that it qualifies for surgicalappointments and gives surgical position. No one wouldsubmit to a prolonged curriculum and severe examina-tion and pay heavy fees in order to get a vote for theCouncil.

" 11. The idea that the promotion of the science and artof surgery will su:Eer by the Council being brought intomore intimate relations with the great bulk of those whopractise it seems to us to be absurd."

MUNIFICENCE.-On Monday last the new wingof the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary was opened for the

reception of patients and will contain forty-two beds. Ithas been erected by Mr. Walter Evans at a cost of 12,COOas a memorial of his late wife, and will be known as theSusan Evans’ Wing.


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