1] MODIFICATION OF VITAL ACTIONS 9 



/S0 2 CH 3 

 / C \ is not poisonous ; 



CH 3 / \S0 2 CH 3 



v /S0 2 C 2 H 5 

 sulphonal : / C \ is poisonous ; 



CH/ 



/S0 2 C 2 H 5 



trional : / C \ is poisonous ; and 



C 2 H/ \S0 2 C 2 H 5 



C 2 H 5 x /S0 2 C 2 H 5 



tetronal : / C \ is more poisonous. 



C 2 H/ \S0 2 C 2 H 5 



The same holds for the acetals ; thus, 



H\ /O.CH 3 Hv /O.C 2 H 5 



>C C is half as active as ) C C 



H/ \O.CH 3 CH 3 / \O.C 2 H 5 



We find the same thing in the ethyl group, 



CH 3 \ C 2 H 5 \ 



CH 3 C - OH is less active than CH 3 C - OH. 



CH 3 / CH 3 / 



trimethalcarbinol. ditnethalethylcarbinol. 



And also in the alcohols, 



methyl alcohol, CH 3 OH, weak action ; 

 ethyl alcohol, C 2 H 5 OH, weak action ; 

 isopropyl alcohol, C 3 H 7 OH, stupefymg. 



A few words now concerning the morphological changes ob-' 

 served in protoplasm subjected to the action of poisons belonging 

 to this group. Here belong especially the various anaesthetics. 



Chloroform and ether seem to affect all protoplasm anaes- 

 thetically. that of the higher plants as well as that of the 

 higher animals. (BERNARD, C., 78, and ELFIXG, F., '86.) 

 KUHXE (T>4, p. 100) first studied the effect of chloroform vapor 

 upon Tradescantia hairs, but DEMOOR ('94, p. 193) has since 

 described the action of this reagent in much more detail. 

 \ chloroform water at first (2 to 5 minutes) produces a very 

 intense excitement in the movements of the protoplasm, a 

 strong vacuolization occurs, and then the cytoplasm gradually 



