THE
RELATIONS OF TRYPSIN AND AMYLOPSIN 227
the
amylopsin injections as to their supposed freedom from trypsin, and found that
in fact they both, from different makers, showed pronounced tryptic activities.
On p. ‘375 he writes:
“The
two amylopsin preparations which I examined were stated to be free from
trypsin. They behaved, however, with respect to the second phase, just as if
they were genuine strong trypsin preparations, as they brought about a very
pronounced decomposition of the glutin into lower nitrogenous compounds. The
doubt that was aroused by the surprising result of the gelatin experiments was
therefore solved. Unquestionably, the amylopsin preparations contained abundant
quantities of trypsin, and their importance for the treatment could not, if
they really have any such importance, be due to their freedom from trypsin.”
While
accepting Dr. Hald’s facts, at that time the writer could not account for them,
any more than he could then explain certain happenings in New York with some of
the first-made injections of amylopsin. Here the physician had found
that the injection of amylopsin intensified the very symptoms which it was
supposed to counteract. The only supposition then possible was that he had by
mistake injected trypsin instead of amylopsin, the tubes and boxes then in use
being alike. *
For
the sake of accuracy, it should be added that long before the publication of
Dr. Hald’s paper the writer had from time to time tested the injection of
amylopsin sent out from New York as to the existence of tryptic powers in it,
but invariably with negative results. The number of tests carried out by Dr.
Hald, and the period of time over which these extended, were not sufficient
* To
avoid such mistakes, it is most important that the two injections should be put
up in differently coloured ampoules.