82 PLANT RESPIRATION 



identical with alcoholic fermentation and whether the ratio 

 I/N has the value } 3 as required by Pfeffer's theory. 



When Wortmann^ determined the ratio I N for the germinat- 

 ing seeds of Vicia Faba in the Torricellian vacuum he found 

 that with this material I/N is equal to i.- On the basis of 

 this observation Wortmann assumed that all the carbon dioxide 

 from oxygen respiration is produced through the process of 

 alcoholic fermentation. In Wortmann's opinion, the absorp- 

 tion of oxygen only serves to change the resultant alcohol to 

 sugar through the action of synthetic processes. According 

 to Wortmann the whole process of oxygen respiration consists 

 of the following phases : 



(I) 3C6H12O6 = 6C2H5OH + 6CO2 (Liberation of COo) 



(II) 6C0H5OH + 6O2 = 2C6H12O6 + 6H2O (Absorption of 

 O2) 



The addition of the two processes gives the following equation 

 which represents the respiratory process in toto. 



(III) CeHisOe = 6CO2 + 6H2O. 



It is evident that Wortmann as well as Pfeffer regarded ethyl 

 alcohol as an intermediate product of oxygen respiration. 



As soon as the schematic representations of Pfeffer and Wort- 

 mann were published the experimental proof of them was 

 attempted. The work done in Pfeffer's laboratory by Wilson-' 

 which has been referred to already, showed that the value of 

 I/N, contrary to the supposition of Pfeffer and Wortmann. 

 fluctuates within wide limits in the case of various plants. 

 Wilson's results were confirmed by Moeller^ and the last- 

 named investigator concluded from his experiments that there 

 is no connection between anaerobic and normal respiration. 



Borodin-^ sought to prove the connection of anaerobic with 

 normal respiration in the following manner. If we assume with 

 Pfliiger that labile, easily-oxidised substances are formed in the 

 absence of oxygen, then after a temporary anaerobiosis an 



' Wortmann, J. Arb. d. dtsch. bot. Inst. Wurzburg. 2: 500. 1880. 



- Wortmann's experimental method really allowed only the comparison of the amount of 

 COj liberated in the absence of o.\ygen with the amount of oxygen absorbed with access to 

 oxygen. 



3 Wilson. Flora. 65:93. 1882. 



« Mealier. Ber. d. bot. Ges. 2: 306. 1884. 



i Borodin, J. Bot. Zeitg. 1881 : 127. 



