Artificially digested meats. Substances produced by the action of the acid gastric juice (or pepsine) upon insoluble proteids or albume-noids in acid solutions, and of the pancreatic juice in alkaline solutions, at the temperature of the body, viz., peptic peptones and pancreatic peptones. Meat, dissolved by acidulated pepsine, is a peptic-peptone ; filtered, neutralized with sodium bicarbonate and evaporated to dryness; 2 lb. of beef should yield 1/2 lb. dry peptone; if evaporated to syrupy consistence; probably about 1 lb. It is valuable in enemata, or as a substitute for beef tea.

Peptones combine with some metallic salts ; we have iron peptone and mercuric peptone, both can be injected subcutaneously; also bismuth peptone, containing about 3 % of soluble oxide.