Reactions of Sponges IJ 



taining a half per cent of ether, the oscula closed in from three to 

 three and a half minutes. When in place of pure seawater, sea- 

 water containing a half per cent chloroform was used the oscula 

 closed in a minute and a half to two minutes. The sponges 

 treated with ether-water reopened their oscula in about two hours; 

 those that had been subjected to chloroform-water did not reopen 

 in less than four hours and some never recovered. Since both 

 ether and chloroform-water induce a closure of the oscula, even 

 when they are applied to the sponge in the form of a current, I 

 regard these drugs as vigorous stimulants and of the two, chloro- 

 form is the more effective and, as in so many other cases, the more 

 harmful. 



When a current of seawater con taining one part of strychnine to 

 fifteen thousand parts of seawater was substituted for a current of 

 pure seawater, the sponges closed their oscula in from eignt to 

 twelve minutes. Thus strychnine must be regarded as a stinm- 

 lant to contraction. 



Sponges whose oscula had remamed open for some time in a 

 current of seawater, were subjected to a current containing one 

 part in a thousand of cocaine, whereupon their oscula closed in from 

 seven to ten minutes. All such sponges reopened their oscula 

 after having been in a current of pure seawater for about half an 

 hour. Since the sponges closed even in a current, cocaine at the 

 strength used must be regarded as a vigorous stimulant to closure. 



In a solution of one part of cocaine in ten thousand parts of sea- 

 water, the oscula remained open as in pure seawater, but, as the 

 following observations show, this drug was not without its effect. 

 A particular osculum was found on several trials in pure seawater 

 to close in from four to five minutes after the current had ceased. 

 On subjecting this osculum for some fifteen minutes to a current 

 of cocaine in seawater, one to ten thousand, it was found that on 

 the cessation of the current the osculum closed in from eight to 

 nine minutes. After an hour in a current of pure seawater the 

 rate of four to five minutes was reestablished. A weak solution of 

 cocaine, then, inhibits slightly the closure of the osculum. 



A cocaine solution of one part in fifty thousand of seawater 



