No. 1, November, 1921] PHYSIOLOGY 51 



24-hoiir period of observation. A comparison of the growth-temperature graphs of the 4 

 fungi for the second 24-hour period shows that the total ranges of temperature within which 

 growth rate values are rs or more of the maximum rate includes from 32.5 to 37°C. of the tem- 

 perature scale. Of this range, 70-80 per cent is below the optimum temperature for growth. — 

 At the lower temperatures the growth rate increased with the age of cultures throughout the 

 culture period, but the reverse change occurred in cultures at the highest temperatures main- 

 tained. — The value of QlO, the temperature coefBcient for growth, was greatest for the lowest 

 temperatures used and regularly decreased toward the highest temperatures. The value of 

 the temperature coefficient was always largest for the first 24-hour period after inoculation 

 and, as a rule, diminished as time increased. Since the value of QIO decreases in value from 

 infinity to zero, there must be some point at which its value is unity. This point will lie 

 at the middle of a range within which the optimum temperature will be found. For tempera- 

 ture values below this range the values of QIO will be greater than unity, for higher tempera- 

 tures, less than unity. The use of the coefficient-temperature graphs furnishes a direct 

 method of comparing the growth-temperature relations of different organisms, no matter in 

 what units the rates have been expressed. — H. S. Reed. 



TOXIC ACTION 



306. IVIoLLiARD, Marin. Influence du chlorure de sodium sur le developpement du 

 Sterigmatocystis nigra. [The influence of sodium chloride on the development of Sterigmato- 

 cystis nigra.] Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. Paris 172: 1118-1120. 1921. — This fungus was grown 

 in culture media to which various percentages of sodium chloride were added. It is found 

 that a solution of NaCl as low as 1 per cent retards the formation of conidia and reduces the 

 number of conidia formed, and that no conidia are formed in a solution stronger than 3 per 

 cent. The rate of growth is diminished in a solution of 2-5 per cent NaCl, it becomes very 

 slow in a 10 per cent solution, and ceases in 12 per cent. Many data are given to show that 

 within certain limits the ratio of increase in weight of the fungus to the amount of sugar con- 

 sumed decreases with an increase in concentration of HCl, that is, the amount of sugar con- 

 sumed is fairly constant though the increase in weight is decreased. It was demonstrated 

 that the suppression of conidia was due to the formation of free HNO3 in the higher concen- 

 trations of NaCl. — C. H. Farr. 



307. Sartory, a., et P. Bailly. Du pouvior agglutinant du sulfate de thorium sur les 

 spores d 'Aspergillus fumigatus Fr. [The agglutinating power of the spores of Aspergillus fumi- 

 gatus in the presence of thorium sulphate.] Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. Paris 172:1257-1258. 

 1921, — The maximum effect is secured in a concentration of from 1 : 1000 to 1 :2000. It is very 

 strong between 1:400 and 1:1000, very weak below 1:200 or above 1:10,000, and is absent in 

 very concentrated solutions. — C. H. Farr. 



ELECTRICITY AND MECHANICAL AGENTS 



308. Halban. [Rev. of: Keller, Rudolf. Neue Versuche iiber mikroskopischen 

 Elektrizitatsnachweis. (Recent reseaches on the microscopical demonstration of electricity.) 

 120 p. Wilhelm Braumiiller: Wien and Leipzig, 1919.] Zeitschr. Phj's. Chem. 94: 509. 

 1920. — For a long time the author has been investigating vital staining with animal dyes and 

 inorganic precipitates. Conclusions, supported by electrical measurements, on the original 

 potential differences in living tissues are drawn from this work. Besides these experimental 

 investigations the author includes, it is reported, totally unrelated theoretical discussions, 

 such as the uselessness of the concept of unordered motion in the kinetic theory of matter. — 

 H. E. Pulling. 



309. LiLLiE, Ralph S. The recovery of transmissivitj' in passive iron wires as a model of 

 recovery processes in irritable living systems. Part I and II. Jour. Gen. Physiol. 3 : 107-128, 

 129-143. 1920. 



