Stability of Esterase and Ereptase in Ground Liver and Kidney Preserved in Glycerol.

It was shown 1 that ground dog's liver preserved in pure glycerol had retained its peptone and ester-splitting powers unimpaired for a period of 34 months. In some instances it was found that the extract showed an even greater esterolytic power after standing in glycerol for nearly 3 years than after extraction for a period of 21 days.

The ground organs of these experimental animals have now been standing in glycerol in a dark place, well corked for from 12 1/2 to 13 1/2 years. The esterolytic and peptolytic powers of the clear filtrates have again been tested using dilutions and technique similar to those of the original report.

The results of these experiments show that ground dog's liver preserved in glycerol retained its esterolytic activity unimpaired for 13 years, but lost about one-fourth of its peptone-splitting action during the same period. Ground dog's kidney similarly preserved for 13 years lost slightly less than half its original ester-splitting power and somewhat more than half of its former power to decompose peptone into amino acids.