Phenomena of Clot Formations. 



181 



alkalis, as is demonstrated by the following experiment. ft Mett" tubes 

 containing the gel were immersed in the solutions. In N/100 sodium 

 hydroxide solution, the erosion was > 25 mm. By the addition of calcium 

 chloride to the extent of only N/128, the erosion was only very slight. 



Discussion of the Results. 



In the second paper of this series, attention was called to the striking 

 parallelism between the narcotic and cytolytic action of various organic 

 substances, and their power of inhibiting cholate gel formation. In the 

 present communication it is shown that the above-mentioned biological actions 

 also run parallel with the power of these organic substances to produce gel 

 erosion. 



The analogies between biological action of substances and their action on 

 gels has been extended further by the demonstration of the antagonistic 

 action of certain salt solutions. It has been shown, for example, that sodium, 

 magnesium and other chlorides inhibit the gel formation by calcium chloride, 

 and, furthermore, that the gel can be eroded by the said salts, and that the 

 erosive action can be prevented by the addition to the salt solutions of 

 relatively small amounts of calcium chloride. As instances of the antagon- 

 istic action of salts the following examples may be quoted. Loeb and 

 Wasteneys* have shown that the Funclulus fish will live only a short period 

 in sodium or potassium chloride solutions of the same strength as these salts 

 exist in sea-water. This toxic action of potassium and sodium salts can, 

 however, be antagonised by the addition of small amounts or calcium salts. 



Osterhoutf has shown that the life of the sea-water plant Rappia 

 maritima, which is short in solutions of sodium or magnesium chlorides 

 alone, is very appreciably lengthened by the addition of calcium salts. 

 The same author has investigated other instances of the action of " balanced 

 salt solutions " on plant life and cell permeability, many of which present 

 marked analogies to the antagonistic action of calcium to other salts on the 

 cholate gel described above. 



One more instance will suffice to illustrate the biological antagonism of 

 salts. Meltzer and Auerj have shown that the injection of magnesium 

 chloride to the amount of T7 grm. per kilogramme of body weight into 

 a rabbit produces profound anaesthesia which is rapidly removed by the 

 injection of relatively small amounts of calcium chloride. 



The results described in this and the last communication further support 



* ' Bio.-Chem. Zeitsch.,' vol. 32, p. 308 (1911). 



+ ' Botanical Gazette,' vol. 42, p. 127 (1916). 



% 1 Amer. Journ. Physiol.,' vol. 14, p. 361 (1905). 



