72 (242) Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. 



result in the production of distinct mental symptoms and in the 

 partial excretion of the substances into the gastrointestinal tract. 

 The disturbance induced by such substances is capable of producing 

 nausea and vomiting. 



45 ( I 37)- " The formation of urea " : L. B. STOOKEY and A. S. 

 GRANGER. (Presented by R. A. HATCHER.) 



Subcutaneous injection of liver-extracts (dog) was found to lead, 

 in the dog, to an increased elaboration of nitrogenous end-products 

 into urea. Liver extracts which had been heated to 55 0 C. failed 

 to manifest this stimulative action. These results might indicate 

 an enzymatic formation of urea. Further experiments are in 

 progress. 



46 (138). " The effects on embryonic development of the Ront- 

 gen rays acting on the spermatozoa of the toad previous 

 to fertilization": C. R. BARDEEN. (Presented by EUGENE 

 L. OPIE.) 



Experiments have shown that spermatogenesis may be inhibited 

 by exposure to the Rontgen rays or to radium. The direct action of 

 the rays on the spermatozoa has not, apparently, been studied. It 

 occurred to the author that it would be interesting to see if sperma- 

 tozoa could be injured by the Rontgen rays and, if so, what the 

 effect would be on the development of ova fertilized by sperma- 

 tozoa thus affected. During the short breeding season of the toads 

 in the vicinity of Madison, Wisconsin, the author collected daily 

 several pairs of toads, separated the males from the females, and 

 from the males got enough sperm to make a slightly cloudy sus- 

 pension in water. This suspension was divided into two parts, one 

 of which was kept for control purposes, while the other was exposed 

 for from an hour and a half to two hours and a half to Rontgen rays. 

 Several of the females were then opened, until, when possible, one 

 was found in which the eggs seemed abundant and ready to be 

 discharged. Two short strings of eggs were removed and each 

 string was divided into two parts ; one part was placed in the con- 

 trol dish, the other in that which had been exposed to the rays. 

 After about fifteen minutes each string was placed in a separate dish 

 of water. 



Several of the experiments proved of negative value either be- 



