Fertilization and Oxidation 



37 



These experiments might give the reader two impressions, 

 first, that the rate of oxidation increases steadily with the con- 

 centration of hydroxylions or of the NaOH in the surrounding 

 solution; and, second, that the normal oxidations take place 

 at the surface of the egg. Experiments made by Wasteneys 

 and the writer, however, do not warrant such conclusions. 

 The experiments were made on the eggs of Strongylocentrotus 

 purpuratus in Pacific Grove and consisted in a more complete 

 determination of the effect of varying concentrations of NaOH 

 and NH4OH upon the oxidations.^ 



TABLE V 



This and similar experiments show very plainly that the 

 addition of even 0.5 c.c. or 0.7 c.c. N/10 NaOH to 50 c.c. 

 (m/2 NaCl+KCl+CaCla) does not raise the rate of oxidations 

 noticeably; and that a considerable rise in the rate of oxidations 

 does not take place until more than 0.8 c.c. N/10 NaOH 

 has been added. These concentrations can no longer be con- 

 sidered normal, since an addition of from 0.2 to 0.4 c.c. 

 N/10 NaOH to 50 c.c. (NaCl+KCl-hCaCU) suffices already 

 to suppress the development of the egg. It is therefore 

 obvious that the increase of the rate of oxidations in the 

 unfertilized egg, under the influence of excessive quanti- 

 ties of NaOH, cannot be utilized for any conclusions upon the 



1 Loeb and Wasteneys, Jour. Biol. Chem., XIV, 459, 1913. 



