220 Dr. C. Shearer. On the Oxidation Processes of 



Fertilised, Eggs. 



Oxygen Manometer. (4 - 06 mgrm. egg UST.) 



1st minute after addition of sperm 12 c.mm. oxygen consumed. 



2nd „ „ 17"0 c.mm. oxygen consumed. 



3rd „ „ 20-0 



4th „ :) 26-0 



5th „ ,, 32-2 



6th „ „ 36-0 



7th „ „ 41-4 



8th „ „ 46-8 



9th „ „ 500 



10th „ 56-0 



Carbon Dioxide Manometer. (4 - 08 mgrm. egg 1ST.) 

 At end of 2 minutes after addition of sperm difference was 2 c.mm. 



5 

 8 

 10 



At the end of the experiment the manometer chambers were opened, when 

 it was found that the eggs in both chambers had all formed normal fertilisa- 

 tion membranes and consequently all formed regular two-cell segmentation 

 stages. A Kjeldahl determination on the eggs showed that in the case 

 of the eggs in the oxygen chamber 4 - 06 mgrm. of egg nitrogen were 

 present, and in the case of the CO2 chamber 4 - 08 mgrm. of egg nitrogen were 

 present. 



It will be seen from the foregoing Tables and graph, fig. 1, that on addition 

 of the sperm to the eggs there is an immediate consumption of oxygen. In 

 the course of the first minute the uptake of oxygen is many times that of 

 the same eggs one minute before the addition of the sperm, and more is 

 usually taken up in the first minute than is taken up in the second and third 

 minutes after the addition of the sperm taken together. 



In all instances the C0 2 output of the eggs follows the oxygen uptake very 

 closely, the respiratory quotient being in the neighbourhood of 0"92. 



In fig. 2 is shown a graph of another experiment similar to the former, 

 in which half the quantity of eggs were employed (2'08 against 4 - 06 mgrm. 

 egg nitrogen). It will be seen both curves are similar, the later being half 

 the value of the former. 



At standard barometric pressure, and temperature of 14 - 5° C, 4 - 06 mgrm. 

 of egg nitrogen (half a million eggs) which before fertilisation consumed 



