124 PHYSIOLOGY [BoT. Absts., Vol. X, 



than that indicated hj the methylene blue test. The use of "other media would undoubtedly- 

 lead to other data, and by their use milestones could be marked along the road to death, and 

 the rates of loss of vitality and of recovery could be followed quantitativelJ^" — H. E. Pulling. 



783. FuLMER, Ellis I. The effect of alcohol on the toxicity of phenol tov/ards yeast. Jour. 

 Phys. Chem. 25: 10-18. 1921. — If inability to grow colonies on wort-agar be taken as the 

 criterion of death, solutions containing water, phenol, and 3.75 per cent alcohol are more toxic 

 than the chemically equivalent solutions (see Bot. Absts. 10, Entry 787) without alcohol; 

 but if inability to stain with methylene blue be taken as the criterion, they are equally toxic. 

 A method for obtaining cultures free from "resting cells" (those more resistant to hot water 

 and to toxins than are actively growing cells') is described. — H. E. Pulling. 



784. Laird, J. Stanley. The chemical potential of phenol in solutions containing salts ; 

 and the toxicity of these solutions towards anthrax and Staphylococcus. Jour. Phys. Chem, 

 24: 664-G72. 1920. — The irregular results obtained by Lemon (see Bot. Absts. 10, Entry 786) 

 induced the author to repeat the experiments and to re-determine the chemical potential of 

 the solutions. Lemon's results are stated to be due to injury of the cells because of the low 

 concentration of the medium, 2 atmospheres being the lowest osmotic pressure that the organ- 

 isms could withstand without injury. Ten salts were used with results in harmony with 

 Miller's hypothesis (see Bot. Absts. 10, Entry 787). Solutions of phenol to which acetic acid 

 was added were, however, more toxic than expected. — H. E. Pulling. 



785. Laird, J. Stanley. The toxicity of mercuric chloride and its solubility in aqueous 

 alcohol. Jour. Phys. Chem. 24 : 736-737. 1920.— Paul and Kronig (Zeitschr. Phys. Chem. 21 : 

 448. 1896) using anthrax found a maximum toxicity of solutions of mercuric chloride in water 

 that contained about 25 per cent of alcohol by weight. The author finds a pronounced mini- 

 mum in the solubility of mercuric chloride in aqueous solution at an alcohol content of 24 

 per cent, thus supporting Miller's hypothesis (see Bot. Absts. 10, Entry 787) of the relation of 

 chemical potential to toxicity. — H. E. Pulling. 



786. Lemon, J. S. The toxicity towards anthrax and Staphylococcus of solutions containing 

 phenol and sodium chloride. Jour. Phys. Chem. 24: 570-584. 1920. — There are given here the 

 details of part of the investigation on the relation between increased toxicity and increased 

 chemical potential, due to the addition of salt to aqueous solutions of phenol (see Bot. Absts. 

 10, Entry 787). Experiments with anthrax were in accord with Miller's hypothesis of increase 

 in chemical potential, but in those with Staphylococcus the degree of approximation of hypoth- 

 esis to result appeared to vary with the concentration of phenol employed. — //. E. Pulling. 



787. Miller, W. Lash. Toxicity and chemical potential. Jour. Phys. Chem. 24: 562-569. 

 1920. — The observations are recalled (Scheurlen, Arch. Exp. Path. Pharm. 37: 74. 1895; 

 Paul und Kronig, Zeitschr. Phys. Chem. 21: 414. 1896) that when salts are added in non- 

 toxic concentrations to aqueous solutions of phenol they increase the to.xicity of the solution. 

 This increase is explained by the change in chemical potential of the phenol when salt is added 

 to its aqueous solution. A solution of phenol to which salt had been added would have the 

 same toxic effect as the (more concentrated) solution of phenol in pure water that would be 

 in equilibrium with the solution of phenol in a solvent immiscible with water in equilibrium 

 with the first (salt-phenol) solution. The general results of the investigations of several men 

 using anthrax spores, Sta-phylococcus, and j^east are given, the details of which are to be 

 presented by the several investigators. — H. E. Pulling. 



788. Moll, Friedkich. Untersuchungen iiber Gesetzmassigkeiten in der Holzkonser- 

 vierung. Die Giftwirkung anorganischer Verbindungen (Salze i auf Pilze. [The principles of 

 wood conservation. The toxic action of inorganic compounds (salts) on fungi.] Centralbl. 

 Bakt. II, Abt. 51: 257-286. 1920. — Penicillium glaucum and a species oi Merulius grown on 

 agar containing different toxic salts develop in inverse ratio to salt concentration. With 

 similar salts the results are much alike. As long as the combined salts do not yield an insoluble 



