230 PHYSIOLOGY [Bot. Absts., Vol. IV, 



1523. Stehle, R. L. Some data concerning the alleged relation of catalase to animal oxi- 

 dations. Jour. Biol. Chem. 39: 403^20. 1919. — Until catalase has been shown to produce at 

 least some of the changes which food or tissue undergoes in oxidative catabolism, the discovery 

 that the quantity in which it exists in various tissues runs parallel with the oxidative activity 

 of those tissues is not evidence that it takes part in those oxidations. An explanation is 

 suggested for the variation in catalase content and the experimental evidence for the explana- 

 tion is given. The explanation is that fluctuations in catalase content are due to fluctuations 

 in the number of red cells in the blood. It seems simpler to regard catalase content as a func- 

 tion of the number of red cells than to assume a direct relation between catalase and biologi- 

 cal oxidations. — G. B. Rigg. 



1524. Wolf, Charles G. L. Contributions to the biochemistry of pathogenic anaerobes. 

 VI. The proteolytic action of Bacillus sporogenes (Metchnikoff ) and Bacillus welchii. Jour. Path, 

 and Bact. 22 : 270-288. 1919. — On a medium of sterilized muscle and water both organisms 

 grow with great rapidity, and both form large quantities of carbon dioxide and hydrogen. 

 With B. sporogenes about 70 to 75 per cent of the gas is carbon dioxide; with B. welchii about 

 38 per cent. The amount of gas formed per litre of medium is apparently about equal with 

 both organisms. B. sporogenes has great proteolytic activity; with B. welchii there is rela- 

 tively little proteolysis. A marked difference in volatile acid production was noted. B. 

 welchi produces large quantities of such acids in carbohydrate-containing media, but no con- 

 siderable amount with muscle tissue. B. sporogenes is capable of forming acids in quantity 

 in any medium, irrespective of the carbohydrate content. — W. W. Bonus. 



METABOLISM (RESPIRATION) 



1525. Anonymous. Do seeds breathe? Sci. Amer. 120: 571. 1919. 



1526. Baumgartel, Otto. Studien iiber Pneumatocarpien. [Studies of inflated fruits.] 

 Sitsungsber. K. Akad. Wiss. Wien (Math.-Nat. Kl.) 126: 13-40. PI. 1, fig. 1-4. 1917 — 

 The bladder fruits (pneumatocarpien) of Astragalus cicer L., Colutea halepica Lam., C. ori- 

 entalis Mill., Nigella damascena L., Staphylea Bumaldea D.C., and S. pinnata L. were studied 

 from an anatomical and physiological standpoint. It was found that these inflated fruits 

 contain a higher atmospheric pressure than the surrounding air which is thought to be the 

 result of carbohydrate respiration within the unripe fruits. The inclosed gas, which may 

 arise largely from certain tissues in some species and from different tissues of the fruit in other 

 species, has a higher CO2 content than the outside air. It is suggested that the biologic 

 role of the inclosed atmosphere is to supply a moist medium around the developing seeds and 

 also to aid in the development of a structure which will make wind dissemination of the 

 fruit possible. A bibliography is given. — W. C. Muenscher. 



1527. Crocker, William. Respiration of stored wheat. [Rev. of: Bailey, C. H., and 

 A. M. Gurjar. Respiration of stored wheat. Jour. Agric. Res. 12: 685-713. 1918.] Bot. 

 Gaz. 67: 180. 1919. 



1528. Haas, A. R. C. Respiration after death. Bot. Gaz. 67: 347-365. 3 fig. 1919 — 

 The author reports the results of a study of the respiration of Laminaria after mechanical 

 injury and after being killed by alcohol, acetone, formaldehyde, and ethyl bromide. The out- 

 put of CO2 was estimated by determining the increase in hydrogen ion concentration, follow- 

 ing wounding or death. The method used was that of comparing the color produced when 

 phenolsulphon phthalein was added to the solution to be tested with the colors of a series of 

 buffer mixtures containing an equal amount of the same indicator. The author concludes 

 from his results that the respiration of Lami?iaria after death may be considerably greater 

 than in its normal condition. — D. H. Rose. 



1529. Haas, A. R. C. Effect of anesthetics upon respiration. Bot. Gaz. 67: 377-404. 7 

 fig. 1919. — When Laminaria is exposed to anesthetics in sufficiently high concentration to 



