iqiq] HAAS— respiration 363 



tion, except in rare cases (as in the unfertilized sea urchin egg) 

 where the oxidation is independent of structure. He states that 

 the latter case disposes of the '^ reaction chamber" theory of cell 

 structure, according to which the substances necessary for oxidation 

 are separated by the semipermeable membranes of the cell in such 

 a way as to regulate the speed of oxidation, for these substances 

 can be completely mixed, as in the cytolysis of the unfertilized 

 sea urchin egg, without any change in the rate of oxidation. 



Warburg's treatment of the "reaction chamber" hypothesis 

 seems to rest upon a misunderstanding. It is quite possible that 

 in the cytolysis of the sea urchin egg the "reaction chambers" are 

 not destroyed, since each of the fine granules into which the egg 

 is resolved by cytolysis may be such a "reaction chamber" sur- 

 rounded by a semipermeable surface.'^ In case some or all of the 

 reaction chambers are destroyed by the treatment, because they are 

 larger or for any reason more sensitive to the treatment, a change 

 in the rate of oxidation may be expected (either an increase or 

 decrease, according to circumstances). Warburg himself states 

 that where an increase of chemical action results from the injury 

 the "reaction chamber" hypothesis seems to be justified. This 

 is precisely what the writer finds. Increase of oxidation as the 

 result of injury (although not as the result of death) has previously 

 been recorded by many observers (5). 



The "reaction chamber" h}^othesis has much in its favor. An 

 especially good example is the bitter almond, which at once pro- 

 duces HCN upon injury. In this case the reacting substances are 

 known and we cannot escape the conclusion that previous to injury 

 they fail to react because they are kept apart by structures in the 

 cell. In some cases the mingling of substances, owing to the break- 

 ing down of such separating structures, can distinctly be seen under 

 the microscope. This is the case with the marine alga Griffithsia, 

 as described by Osterhout (14, 15). When cells of this alga are 

 injured by poisons (NH4CI), or mechanically, or by cytolysis with 

 dilute sea water, the chromatophores (which contain a soluble red 

 pigment) become permeable and the pigment can be seen passing 



4 The existence of an actual membrane is unnecessary. 



