A S 1 -1/ .1/ /•; 77.' / (' - 1 XALYSIS 



123 



TABLE 20 



Comparative SmiY, of thic Presence in Various Animals of a Stereo- 

 Differential Toxic Action of the Optical Isomers of Nicotine 



AND of A( KTYLCIIOLINE MEDIATION IN THE TRANSMISSION 



OF Nerve Impulse 



SECTION III 



ANALYSIS OF THE MECHANISM OF A^AEIOUS 

 PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS IN PROTOZOA 



The following attempt at aii ''Asymmetric Analysis" 

 of physiological functions in protozoa is based on the 

 fundamental principle of dissociability of physiological 

 processes. The action of the optical isomers of some 

 organic substance will be studied on some particular 

 function and the stereo-coefficient of action determined 

 for that function. From the similarity or dissimilarity 

 of the coefficient various conclusions can be drawn on the 

 nature or mechanism of the function. 



It should be noticed that a similar method is followed 

 in the temperature analysis of biological processes (cf. 

 the recent discussion of this subject by Hoagland, 1935). 

 "When two separate processes reveal different tempera- 

 ture relations it is believed that they are not directly 

 controlled by some common ''master reaction". (Con- 

 cerning the caution with which the notion of "master 

 reaction" should be used, cf. Burton, 1936 and Hoag- 

 land, 1937.) 



