I9I2] 'Alfred P. Lothrop i6i 



found that red meats predispose to asthmatic attacks. )8-imidazo- 

 lylethylamin is produced in the putrefactioii of histidin, and hemo- 

 globin yields a large percentage of histidin on decomposition. It is 

 possible, therefore, that /3-imidazolylethylamin causes asthma. Un- 

 like clinical asthma, however, experimental asthma produced by 

 iß-imidazolylethylamin is not relieved by injections of epinephrin 

 ("adrenaHn chlorid"). 



7. On the production of grafted multiple embryos. A. J, 

 GoLDFARB. (Marine Biological Lahoratory, Woods Hole, Mass., 

 and the Department of Natural History, College of the City of 

 New York.) Grafted multiple embryos were first successfully 

 produced in considerable numbers by Driesch, with the eggs of 

 either of two genera of echinoderms, namely, Echiniis and Sphaere- 

 chinus. Though several investigators have endeavored to repeat 

 these experiments with American echinoderms they have failed 

 completely. By slightly modifying the Herbst-Driesch method as 

 described below, an unusually large number of grafted multiple 

 embryos and larvae were produced from the eggs of Arbacia punc- 

 tidata. 



After removing the fertilization membranes, the eggs were 

 placed either directly into a sodium hydroxid Solution, or first 

 placed in calcium-free sea water, then in an alkaline liquid of the 

 following composition: 4 to 20 drops of 0.5 per cent. sodium hy- 

 droxid Solution in 200 c.c. of sea water. This treatment sufficed in 

 Driesch's experiments with Echinus and Sphaerechinus, giving 

 rise to about 4 per cent. of agglutinated and fused embryos. 

 For Arbacia eggs it was necessary to Supplement this treat- 

 ment by centrifuging the eggs in tubes with very narrow bores, so 

 that the eggs whose outer surfaces had previously been gelatinized 

 were compressed against one another. These eggs gave rise to 

 about 40 per cent. of agglutinated and fused embryos and larvae. 



The multiple embryos of Arbacia, so produced, were of the same 

 general character as those described by Driesch, such as true twins, 

 incomplete fusions, and complete fusions of the respective embryos. 



8. Non-toxicity of inorganic colloid Solutions upon pro- 

 tozoa. Max Morse. (Boardman Laboratories, Trinity College, 

 Hartford, Conn.) Colloidal platinum prepared by the Bredig 



