DAVID I. MACHT AND MARGUERITE B. LIVINGSTON 575 



which contains calcium nitrate, magnesium suKate, and mono- 

 potassium acid phosphate (7). Such a solution was prepared by 

 mixing 10.4 cc. of 0.5 molar solution of calcium nitrate, 30 cc. of 0.5 

 molar solution of magnesium sulfate, and 36 cc. of 0.5 molar phos- 

 phate, with distilled water sufficient to make 1 Hter. The normal 

 growth of the lupine rootlets was studied by immersing the seedlings 

 in a mixture of normal Shive solution with an equal part of distilled 

 water. The effect of cocaine and other drugs was studied by dis- 

 solving chemicals in distilled water and mixing such drug solutions with 

 equal parts of the normal Shive solution. After measuring accurately 

 the length of each root and placing the seedlings in the control and 

 drug solutions, the whole was again put in the incubator and left at 

 a constant temperature of 20°C., and the effect of various chemicals 

 on the growth of the roots was determined on the following day; that 

 is, at the end of 24 hours. Ten seedHngs were placed in the control 

 solution, of one-half Shive solution and one-half water, and ten seed- 

 lings were employed for the study of each drug solution. In most of 

 the experiments the volume content of the test-tubes used was about 

 10 cc. In the case of a few rare and valuable chemicals test-tubes of 

 shorter length, holding about 5 cc, were occasionally employed. 



The influence of the following substances, on the growth of lupine 

 roots was investigated: cocaine hydrochloride, sodium benzoate, 

 methyl alcohol, methyl benzoate, ecgonine hydrochloride, benzoyl 

 ecgonine, and various mixtures of these drugs. It is well known that 

 the cocaine molecule can be easily decomposed by hydrolysis, yield- 

 ing ecgonine, methyl alcohol, and benzoic acid. The anesthetic proper- 

 ties of cocaine in animals are dependent on the chemical union of these 

 three components. A simple mixture of the three will not give the 

 same pharmacological effects as the chemical combination in the form 

 of the cocaine molecule. This is true not only in regard to the anes- 

 thetic properties of cocaine but, as previously shown by one of the 

 authors with various collaborators, also holds good in regard to the 

 action of cocaine on the central nervous system (8), on skeletal muscle 

 (9) , and on smooth muscle. It was for this reason that it was deemed 

 desirable to inquire into the effect on the lupine root, not only of 

 cocaine itself but also of its various decomposition products. 



