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CHAPTER VIII. 



Summary and Conclusions. 



With regard to the respiratory process of seedlings of Pisum we have noted 

 that "small doses" of ether to which the plants have been exposed for periods of 

 short duration accelerate the production of carbon dioxide, which phenomenon is 

 especially found at low temperatures. 



"Large" and "averagely large" doses of ether retard the production of CO.^ 

 in proportion to the size of the doses. 



During the after-effect of the ether-narcosis no acceleration of the CO2- pro- 

 duction has been demonstrated; on the contrary, a retardation of the respiratory 

 process has been affected not only by large doses but also by small ones. 



Concerning the formation of sugar in seedlings of Pisum this process has 

 been accelerated by small doses of short duration, while the same doses used for 

 exposures of longer duration and averagely large doses have affected a retardation 

 of the sugar-forming process. Still larger doses have produced an increase of the 

 sugars, which phenomenon must in all probability be ascribed to a complete cessa- 

 tion of the transformation of sugars into polysaccharides which process in all 

 likelihood always takes place in normal seedlings simultaneously with the antagoni- 

 stic process. 



The inversion of "non-reducing" sugars to "reducing" sugars has been retarded 

 by small doses as well as by large doses. 



The destruction of proteids associated with a formation of amides, which 

 takes place normally in young seedlings, may be accelerated by small doses of 

 ether, while averagely large doses retard this destructive metabolism. If the dose 

 was so large that it caused the death of the plants, it produced an increase of the 

 amides, in all probability because the synthetic processes in the plants have been 

 stopped. 



These effects are in accordance with the effects of ether-narcosis on the trans- 

 location of nitrogenous compounds the mobilization from the cotyledons being to 

 all probability accelerated by small doses, while large doses cause a retardation of 

 this process; consequently the increase of the absolute amount of proteids is (to 

 all probability) accelerated in the shoots and roots of the seedlings by small doses, 

 while this increase is retarded by larger doses the formation of proteids being 

 proportional with the increase of the nitrogenous matters. 



As regards the relations of ripening seeds of Pisum and Lupines during the 

 ether narcosis the following has been proved : Small doses of ether accelerate the 

 synthesis of proteids which takes place normally during the ripening process, 

 while larger doses retard this process in proportion to the amount of the dose 

 used. Very large doses do not only arrest this increase of proteids but also pro- 

 duce a destruction of the proteids already formed. Injury of ripening seeds 



35' 



