1 9 1 9] HAA S—RESPIRA TION 3 9 1 



TABLE II D* 

 One period (44 -5 ^i^'-) in sea water followed by equal period ix sea water 



CONTAINING O.5 PER CENT (bY VOLUME) OF CHLOROFORM 



* In the control, with 2 periods (39. 25 min. each) in sea water, the change in PH in each period was 

 8.10-7.35=0.75- 



(fig. 2a [B], fig. ih [B]; table II B) of formaldehyde respectively. 

 In both figs. 2a and 26 (A) and (B), there is a marked increase in 

 the respiration during the first period. The curves for the weaker 

 concentration tend to become approximately horizontal in the later 

 periods. The curves for the stronger concentration of formaldehyde 

 present a somewhat different case. Here the respiration reaches 

 its maximum during the first period and maintains this rate during 

 the second period. Following this, the respiratory rate steadily 

 becomes smaller. 



The curves for 0.3 per cent (fig. 2a [C] and fig. 2b [C]; table 



II C) and o. 5 per cent (fig. 2a [D] and fig. 26 [D] ; table II D) chloro- 

 form respectively, each show that respiration is increased during the 

 first period. The curves for the 0.3 per cent chloroform indicate 

 that the rate steadily becomes smaller, until at the end of about 

 2.25 hours the respiratory rate falls below what it was normally 

 (when in sea water). 



The observation has often been made (11) that in human beings 

 and in mammals during prolonged anesthesia there are typical 

 products of incomplete oxidation such as fatty acids, lactic acid, 

 and above all acetone (in not inconsiderable quantities) eliminated, 

 as the case may be, into the urine or into the respired air. It 

 seemed of interest in this connection to study the effect of acetone 

 upon the respiration of Laminaria. It will be seen from the curves 

 that when sea water contains o . i per cent (fig. 3 [A] ; table III A) or 

 0.51 per cent (fig. 3 [B]; table III B) of acetone respectively, the 

 respiration is practically unaffected. When, however, the sea 

 water contains 17.4 per cent of acetone (fig. 3 [C] and [D]; table 



III C), a pecuHar condition results. During the first period the 



