COMPARATIVE STUDIES ON RESPIRATION. 



VII. Respiration and Antagonism. 



Introductory Note. 



By W. J. v. OSTERHOUT. 

 {From the Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Harvard University, Cambridge.) 



(Received for publication, June 15, 1919.) 



The relation of antagonism to such fundamental life processes as 

 respiration and photosynthesis has received scant attention. The 

 writer began studies on this subject some years ago, but owing to 

 other interests the investigations did not progress beyond the pre- 

 liminary stage. It seemed desirable that they should be carried 

 forward, and this was facilitated by the development of new methods 

 of measuring respiration and photosynthesis.^ 



A series of studies has recently been commenced in which these 

 methods have been employed. Care was taken to make frequent 

 measurements, as earlier work had shown this to be important. 

 The fact that the rate of respiration could be determined as often 

 as once every 3 minutes made it possible to obtain satisfactory time 

 curves. 



The plan of these investigations involves a comparative study of 

 the antagonistic effects of salts on different kinds of organisms under 

 precisely the same conditions. In this way it is hoped that a sound 

 basis for the formulation of general principles may be provided. 



It may be of interest to mention certain improvements in technique. 

 When a reagent is employed which has a buffer effect it is desirable 

 to have the same buffer action during the measurement of normal 

 respiration as during exposure to the reagent. This may be accom- 



^ Haas, A. R. C, Science, 1916, xliv, 105. Osterhout, W. J. V., and Haas, 

 A. R. C, /. Gen. Physiol., 1918-19, i, 1. Osterhout, W. J. V., /. Gen. Physiol., 

 1918-19, i, 17, 171. 



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