EFFECTS OF INJURY UPON SPERM. 249 



fertilize normal eggs. In this work it was found that the stronger 

 action upon the germ cells produced earlier and more profound 

 alterations in the offspring. 



Stockard ('12) furnishes a set of well-planned experiments 

 upon guinea pigs which, when tested, produced normal offspring. 

 The males were intoxicated by inhaling alcoholic fumes. As a 

 result of 24 matings of alcoholic males with normal females he 

 reports no results or early abortions in 14 cases, 5 stillborn litters, 

 and 5 living litters containing 12 young. Of these, 7 died shortly 

 after birth. The remaining 5 "are unusually small and very shy 

 and excitable animals." The parents remained in good health 

 throughout the experiment. Although the number of matings is 

 rather small there is a clear indication that the action of the 

 alcohol upon the male germ cells is the cause of abnormal results. 

 Considered in connection with the work of Bertholet and of 

 Nicloux this is very strong evidence. 



The experiments of Nice ('12) do not seem to entirely agree 

 with the experiments just quoted. His mice, both male and 

 female, were fed on milk and crackers, to which 2 c.c. of 35 per 

 cent, alcohol was added daily. They were also furnished with 

 drink in the form of 35 per cent, alcohol. The fecundity of the 

 mice was greater than that of the control series, though the 

 mortality was n.i per cent, in the offspring in the experimental 

 series and zero in the controls. None of the young were de- 

 formed. Nicotin, caffein, and tobacco fumes gave similar results. 

 In the absence of farther experimental data it seems fair to as- 

 sume that the germ cells of the mice are in some way less sus- 

 ceptible to these drugs, though the comparatively high mortality 

 indicates that there was an effect. 



Gager ('08) subjected pollen grains to the action of radium 

 and secured a marked change in the plant resulting from pollina- 

 tion of a normal plant. Some of the effects persisted through 

 several generations. 



My ow y n experiments upon Nereis and Arbacia demonstrate 

 that injury of the sperm cells by several methods may produce 

 a series of abnormalities which may appear in various stages 

 from the time of insemination up to late larval stages. It is not 

 known whether, if the animals were kept under favorable condi- 



