198 



STUDIES ON RESPIRATION. Ill 



The question arises whether the sudden outpouring of COo in 7.3 

 per cent ether is due to the sudden production of a great excess of 

 CO2 or merely to the sudden hberation of CO2 previously stored up 

 in the cells (either as CO2 or in the form of carbonates and bicarbon- 



MINUTES 



Fig. 3. Curves showing the effect of ether on the rate of respiration of B. 

 subtilis. Dotted Hne, control. The normal rate (which is taken as 100 per 

 cent) corresponds to a change from pH 8.3 to pH 8.1 in 5 minutes. Average of 

 two experiments. 



The figures expressing the per cent of ether should be corrected by multiplying 

 by 0.73. 



ates). It seems more probable that the latter is the case but there is 

 also a sudden increase in O2 consumption when the bacteria are 

 placed in 7.3 per cent ether, as is shown by using Limulus blood as 

 an indicator .2 



^Osterhout, /. Gen. Physiol., 1918, i, 167. 



