236 INJURY, RECOVERY, AND DEATH 



assumed to be permeable in the resting state to kations, 

 but impermeable to anions)"® suddenly becomes permea- 

 ble to anions, and hence becomes electrically negative; 

 This hypothesis has been favorably received in some 

 quarters, but according to, Loeb and Beutner,"" such as- 

 sumptions are unnecessary. The conclusions of Loeb and 

 Beutner are based on accurate quantitative experiments 

 and in addition they have succeeded in imitating artificially 

 some of the most important phenomena, both qualitatively 

 and quantitatively. 



It may be added that the facts mentioned above'^" show 

 that the electric current passes readily through the proto- 

 plasm. This could not be the case if it were not permeable 

 to both anions and kations. 



For further information, the reader is referred to the 

 literature quoted, as a detailed discussion lies outside 

 the scope of the present work. 



The facts set forth in this chapter indicate that 

 changes in permeability may be followed by determining 

 electrical conductivity. These alterations are evidently 

 important, since they may affect all the fundamental life- 

 processes. It has been shown that a study of such changes 

 by means of electrical measurements makes it possible to 

 treat such conceptions as vitality, injury, recovery, and 

 death in a quantitative manner. It also enables us to 

 predict the behavior of tissues, especially in respect to 

 injury and recovery, and leads directly to a quantitative 

 theory of the mechanism of certain fundamental life 

 processes. 



" The idea that the cell surface may be permeable to only one kind 

 of ions was suggested by Ostwald (1890). 



«»Loeb (1915, B) ; Loeb and Beutner (1911, 1912, 1913, A, B, 1914); 

 Beutner, (1912, A, B; 1913, A, B, C, D, E, 1920). 



" See pages 46 and 200. 



