Unpublished paper, 'On the amyloid substance of the liver, and its ultimate destination in the animal economy' by Robert McDonnell

Description

After briefly referring to the discovery of the amyloid substance of the liver, and the earlier history of the subject, McDonnell examines the facts which have induced Dr [Frederick William] Pavy to conclude that this substance is not normally transformed into sugar during life. McDonnell being led, after a careful repetition of Pavy’s experiments, to concur in his views, asks what happens to the amyloid substance of the liver if it is not converted into sugar. There appears on the whole to be evidence that the amyloid substance met with in the liver is on its way upwards towards the more exalted or complex immediate animal principles; that, in fact, the process of healthy assimilation tends to promote it from the rank of ternary (hydrocarbonous) to that of quaternary (azotized) compounds; and that its conversion into sugar is to be looked upon as a deviation from this progressive course: a dissimilative instead of an assimilative process.

Marked on front as 'Not published / Re-written by the author'. Annotations in pencil throughout. Followed by one figure of experimental apparatus.

Subject: Physiology

Received 13 February 1863. Read 12 March 1863. Communicated by W [William] Bowman.

Whilst the Royal Society declined to publish this paper in full, an abstract of the paper was published in volume 12 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'On the amyloid substance of the liver, and its ultimate destination in the animal economy'.

Reference number

AP/45/9

Earliest possible date

1863

Physical description

Ink and graphite pencil on paper

Page extent

51 pages

Format

Drawing
Manuscript