Morphologie etc. - Physiologie. 419 



male des Onagraceen-Tyv^s. Der vierkernige Embryosack dürfte ein 

 Charakteristikum der Familie sein. Zuweilen tre en folgende Er- 

 scheinungen auf: mehrzelliges Archespor Entwicklung von mehr 

 als einer Makrospore in der Tetrade, Endotropismus des Pollen- 

 schlauches. Obgleich diese Erscheinungen oft als Vr^^'^'^'^^^ll'^- 

 male betrachtet werden, ist der Verf. geneigt, sie bei denOnagra- 

 ceen als sekundär erworben aufzufassen. Juel (Upsaiaj. 



Osterhout, W. J. V.. The chemical dynamics of living 

 protoplasm. (Science N. S. 39. p. 544-546. 1914.) 

 The proo-ress of chemical reactions as evidenced by the mcrease 

 of permeabiilty from that of living tissue to that of dead tissue was 

 SundT be in accordance with van 't Ho ff 's formulation ot the 

 laws of chemical dynamics for monomolecular reactions. Smce the 

 effect of many agents is reversible, the writer beheves that the 

 laws of chemical dynamics applies not only to reactions which 

 produce death but also to those which form a normal partof the 

 activity of the cell. G. W. Freiberg (St. Louis). 



Osterhout, W. J. V., The effect of anesthetics upon per- 

 meability. (Science N. S. 37. p. 111-112. 1913.) 



Havinff been treated with a Solution of sea water containing 1 

 Der Cent of ether by volume, the resistance of Lammam tissue 

 increased 13 per cent, which was interpreted as a decrease m per- 

 meabüity equal to thkt amount. When weaker Solutions of ether 

 were used the effect was less pronounced, while with a 3 per cent 

 Solution of ether the resistance rose rapidly to a maximum and 

 then feil very rapidly, not stopping at the resistance of livmg tissue 

 as did that treated with a 1 per cent Solution, but dimmishmg until 

 it reached the resistance of dead tissue. This was interpreted as a 

 decrease in permeability followed by a marked increase m perme- 

 ability. Other agents produced similar ^lfe^ts.^^^_^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^.^^_ 



Osterhout, W. J. V. The or ganiza tion of the cell with 

 respect to permeability. (Science N. S. 38. p. 408-409. 1913.) 

 From the differential permeability exhibited by the plasma 

 membrane the inner boundary (vacuole wall) of the cytop asmic 

 layer, the chloroplasts, and the nuclear membrane as evidenced 

 particularly in the marine alga Griffithsia, the writer concludes that 

 "since the protoplasm is composed of a vanety of structures (down 

 to those which are ultramicroscopic) and each of these has a sur- 

 face it is quite possible that many kinds of semi-permeable surfaces 

 exist within the cell." G. W. Freiberg (St. Louis). 



Osterhout, W. J. V., Vitality and injury as quantitative 

 conceptions. (Science N. S. 40. p. 488-491. 1914.) 



All ao-ents which alter the normal permeability of the proto- 

 plasm shorten the life of the organism. By means of the conducti- 

 vity method the writer was able to measure the permeability ot the 

 tissue which he interpreted as a measure of its vitality. Tissue 



