DYNAMICS OF MORPHOGENESIS 171 



2. Temperature experiments with alcohol and cyanide 



The rate of metabolic reaction increases with rising tempera- 

 ture : if, therefore, my conclusions concerning the relation between 

 resistance to certain depressing agents and the rate of reaction 

 are correct, we should expect to find that the resistance of worms 

 as measured by the direct method decreases with rising tempera- 

 ture and increases with falling temperature and this is actually the 

 case. 



But certain possible complicating factors must be considered. 

 First there is the possibility of increased chemical activity of the 

 reagent as a factor in the result, in consequence of the increase in 

 dissociation at the higher temperature. In the case of KCN, 

 however, and other substances may act in the same way, there 

 is every reason to believe that the action is primarily upon the 

 metabolic process at some point or points, rather than upon the 

 relatively inactive structural substances of the organism. If this 

 is the case the change in the rate of reaction in the organism, with 

 a change of 10°C. in temperature, for example, must be of much 

 greater importance in determining the observed changes in phys- 

 iological resistance than the change in a 0.001 7n. KCN solution 

 under the same conditions. However, the evidence upon this 

 point from the temperature experiments by the direct method 

 alone is not demonstrative because the changes in the solution 

 and in the organism are in the same direction. But, as will 

 appear below, the evidence given by the indirect method in 

 temperature experiments, as well as the ex-idence from experi- 

 ments in various other lines leave no doubt that the rate of reac- 

 tion in the organism is the chief factor in determining the results 

 at different temperatures obtained by the direct method. 



The change in the coefficient of distribution of the substances 

 used, with change in temperature is another factor which may 

 play a part in determining the results. According to the theory 

 of narcosis developed by Overton and Meyer the coefficient of dis- 

 tribution is the most important factor in determining anesthetic 

 action. In his third contribution Meyer ('01) shows that the 

 coefficient of distribution of ethyl alcohol between water and 

 olive oil increases from 0.026 and 3°C. to 0.047 at 30°C., i.e., it 



