OF VITAL PHENOMENA 



137 



clear whether the enzyme is precipitated directly by the anes- 

 thetic, or protein impurities precipitated and the enzyme ad- 

 sorbed by the protein. Batelli and Stern (1913) showed that 

 anesthetics precipitate nueleoprotein. 



Warburg and Wiesel (1912) observed that anesthetics inhibit 

 the fermentation by yeast juice, attributing this inhibition to the 

 precipitation of the zymase, since the inhibiting and precipitating 

 powers of anesthetics are parallel. However, live yeast requires 

 for inhibition less concentration of anesthetic than is required 

 by yeast juice (or for precipitation of protein). 



Vernon (1912 a) observed that anesthetics are harmless to 

 the indophenol oxidase of chopped kidney until a certain con- 

 centration is reached, above which they inhibit its action. The 

 data of Batelli and Stern are given in the following table, as 

 compared with the anesthetization of tadpoles by Overton and 

 the reduction of the respiration of sea urchin eggs, fish sperm, 

 goose erythrocytes, lymphocytes, liver cells, spinal cord, yeast 

 and bacteria 30-70 per cent, by Warburg. The figures are the 

 gram molecular concentrations: 



This table shows that about six times the concentration of an- 

 esthetic effective on tadpoles is required to inhibit the respiration 

 of goose erythrocytes. Gros (1910) found the same thing true 

 for the anesthesia of peripheral nerves. It seems, therefore, that 

 the nerve cells of the tadpoles are not anesthetized, but the 

 synapses are in the same condition as during sleep. For anes- 

 thetization of nerve cells and reduction of the respiration of 

 goose erythrocytes the same concentration is required, but for 

 inhibition of the oxidases and precipitation of protein in Batelli 



