556 



Dr. A. D. Waller. Comparative Power of [June 24, 



Influence, of Temperature upon the Bate of Intoxication. 



In my earlier experiments upon the rate of intoxication of muscle by 

 alcohol, ether, and chloroform, I paid no particular attention to the tempera- 

 ture beyond noting that the ordinary room temperature during those 

 experiments was comparatively steady at 19° to 21°. But as the degree of 

 precision of which the method was susceptible became apparent, I undertook 

 to examine the quantitative effect of the temperature factor. 



The first experiment in this direction (August 18) was made with a 

 5-per-cent. solution of ethyl alcohol for the purpose of testing the influence 

 of temperature upon the velocity of the reaction between alcohol and muscle 

 upon which the abolition of contractility depends. At 19° muscular con- 

 tractility was abolished in 7 minutes ; at 30° muscular contractility was 

 abolished in 2\ minutes ; the velocity of reaction in this case was augmented 

 in very similar degree to the augmentations with raised temperature observed 

 in the saponification of ethyl acetate and in cases of vegetable activity.* 

 In these cases it has been observed that the velocity is increased between 

 twice and thrice with a rise of 10°; in the case of alcohol and muscle the 

 reaction was accelerated nearly threefold by a rise of temperature of 11°. 



Similar results were obtained as regards the effect of raised temperature 

 upon velocity of reaction in the case of chloroform and in that of ether. 



In the experiment of August 25, the times of abolition of contractility by 

 a 0'02 mol. solution of chloroform (1 '6 c.c. per 1000) were — 



At 19° 2 min. and 2\ min. 



28° min. 45 sec. „ 1\ „•■■ 



In the experiment of August 27 (fig. 8) the times of abolition of con- 

 tractility by a 0*15 mol. solution of ether (1"5 c.c. per 100) were — 



At 20° 4 min. and 4^ min. 



28° l 1 14 



- ,<J J- 2 " " 2 » 



Fig. 8. — August 27, 1908. Effect of Ether Solution, 015 m., on a Sartorius Muscle at 



20° and at 28°. 



* Cohen, 'Beitrage iiber Pbysikalische Chemie,' 1901, pp. 37, 43, and 45. 



