﻿7 2H) 



Coupin experimented with air-dried seeds as well as with seeds swollen in 

 water and found that the power of germination of the first sort are in no ways 

 affected by anaesthetics, while the germination of the latter is retarded. Hence 

 he drew the conclusion that ether cannot affect resting protoplasme but only 

 "active protoplasme" [Coupin 1899, p. 561 ff.]. Contrary to this theory B. Schmid 

 maintained that the effect of anaesthetics is as poisonous on the inactive as on the 

 active protoplasme; that Conpin has not noted this is explained by the fact of 

 ether not being able to penetrate the dry seed-coats [Schmid 1901, p. 71 ff.]. 

 Kurzwelly [Kurzwelly 1903, p. 291 ff.] and Becquerel [Becquerel 1905, p. 1049 tf.] 

 have found tlie same as Schmid. 



Nathansohn observed in Spirogyra that the nuclear division which is normally 

 mitotic, by a 1 "lu's solution of ether in water becomes amitotic. In weak solutions 

 Spirogyra is able to live for a long time with amitotic nuclear division but the 

 cells become peculiarly barrelshaped, and growth and cell-division are accelerated. 

 When the ether is removed the karyokinetic nuclear division is resumed [Nathan- 

 sohn 1900, p. 57, 65 ff.]. Gerassimow has noted the same phenomenon. He is of 

 opinion that the characteristic acceleration of respiration, development, metabolism 

 e. t. c. which is induced by small doses of ether must be ascribed to the action 

 of ether upon the nucleus [Gerassimow 1903, p. 85]. Wasielewsky has demonstrated 

 that ether is able to induce amitosis in the radicles of Pisum; he noticed several 

 transitional forms ("Diaspase", "Diatmese") between the mitotic and the amitotic 

 division. By this he thought to have proved the fallacy of the theory supported 

 by several students of a pronounced distinction between mitosis and amitosis 

 [Wasielewsky p. 581 ff.]. 



Kühne is the first who noted that ether is able to suspend protoplasmic 

 streaming; this phenomenon was observed in the staminal hairs of Tradescantia 

 [Kühne 1864, p. 100]. Later on Farmer & Waller found the same phenomenon in 

 Chara and Elodea, but they saw too that the streaming is resumed, when the plant 

 is transferred to normal surroundings. Further they noticed that chlorophyll 

 bodies which had originally been lying upon the side walls assumed the face posi- 

 tion in an atmosphere of ether, by placing themselves upon the outer and inner 

 walls, a phenomenon which agrees with the observation, made by Elfving, that 

 micro-organismes, which have been exposed to ether, are less affected by sunlight, 

 and that the chloroplastids of Mosses do not assume a profile position in intense 

 sunlight [Farmer & Waller p. 377]. Kaufmann demonstrated the same in the 

 protoplasmic streaming of Elodea and Hydrocharis. If he used a small dose the 

 streaming grew more rapid than normal for a short time as an after-effect of the 

 ether [Kauffmann 1899, p. 10 — llj. Josing maintains that the streaming is sup- 

 pressed in cells of Vallisneria, Elodea, and the like when exposed to ether and 

 transferred to darkness; the streaming is resumed, when the plants are again ex- 

 posed to light; i. e. only if the more refrangible rays are used. If the plants are 

 not exposed to ether the arresting of the streaming does not take place. The 



