370 Alfred J. Ewarf : 



After immersal in solutions of 1 per 1000, 1 per 5uOO and 1 

 per 10,000 for one week, the apples showed in five weeks a few 

 small spots on the surface not exceeding 1 mm. diameter and 

 less than a millimetre depth, but no distinct pits. 



With solutions of 1 gram in 25,000 and in 1.000.000 c.c. of 

 water, no spots or pits at all appeared, even after one weeks 

 immersal, and subsequent keeping in air for six weeks. 



In order to determine whether penetration Avas favoured by 

 changes of temperature such as occur under natural conditions, 

 apples were heated to 40 deg. C, daily for a week, and allowed 

 to cool under a solution of 1 gram per 1000 c.c. Much air 

 escaped from the lenticels (breathing pores), but only a few 

 small pits developed under some of these, the largest not exceeding 



3 mm. diameter after three weeks in air. If the temperature rises 

 above 40 deg. C, the surface layer is apt to be scalded, but 

 evidently changes of temperature do favour the entry of poison, 

 but not as much as might be expected, and only through the 

 lenticels. 



Mercuric Chloride. — Jonathans. 



In one gram per 100 cc. for one day, after one week in air, 28 

 large and small pits present, in 7 grams per 1000 after the same 

 times, 29 mostly smaller pits developed. After immersal in 



4 per 1000 solution for two days and one week in air, 13 small pits 

 formed, and after the same times with 2 per 1000, three very small 

 pits. After one week in 1 per 5000 and two weeks in air, several 

 spots and seven small pits, the largest 3 mm. diameter appeared. 

 The whole of these apples (5 experiments) were separately tested 

 by the Federal Analyst, who reported that '" the whole of the 

 pitted portions in each apple (the peel was removed previously 

 by a knife) was used for the test, no indication of the presence 

 of a mercury compound was detected in any instance, and the 

 method of analysis used was suthciently delicate to detect the 

 l-100,000th part of one grain of mercury." 



These results seem to show (1) that the sound skin of the 

 apple is very impermeable to soluble poisons, (2) that penetra- 

 tion is possible through the breathing pores producing pits con- 

 fined to the point of entry, and (3) the amount of poison so 

 penetrating is extremely small. They also show that the fact 

 that the State Analyst was unable to detect any lead or arsenic 

 in the limited quantity of bitter pit apples collected by the 



