Vol. 41 
BULLETIN 
OF THE 
TORREY BOTANICAL CLUB 
ee 
MAY, 1914 
Physical and chemical factors influencing the toxicity of inorganic 
salts to Monilia sitophila (Mont.) Sacc. 
Louts OtTro KUNKEL 
(WITH TWO TEXT FIGURES) 
The many researches of recent years on the relative value of 
various media for growing bacteria and fungi, and the almost 
equally extended studies of the toxicity of various mineral salts 
for these organisms have not so far led to any very careful analysis 
of the physiological relations of toxic salts as affected by the media 
in which they are tested. This is especially true of the commonly 
used organic constituents of culture media, such as the sugars, 
proteids, etc. The study of the toxic action of salts when mixed 
together in aqueous solutions as compared with their effects when 
used separately has led to the very fruitful conception of balanced 
solutions, which plays so large a role in modern studies of osmosis, 
penetrability, the making of media, etc. The chemical inter- 
telations of the salts and organic constituents of ordinary media 
are doubtless of fundamental significance in determining their 
Physiological effects. The chemical relation of a so-called toxic 
salt to the medium in which it is offered must be understood if the 
Teal nature of the toxic effect is to be correctly analyzed. The 
Compounds formed when dilute solutions of salts are mixed with 
carbohydrates, proteids, etc., are as yet little understood. The 
Study of the relative physiological effects of series of such com- 
binations may indirectly throw light on the nature of the com- 
Pounds themselves and indicate the conditions under which they 
(The BuLtetin for April (41: 209-264) was issued 13 My 1914.] 
265 
