Scientific Proceedings (84). 



94 (1272) 



The action of pancreatic vitamine upon the metabolic activity of 



Paramecium. 



By Gary N. Calkins and Walter H. Eddy. 



[From the Department of Zoology, Columbia University, N. Y. City.] 



The following experiments were undertaken to see if vitamines 

 extracted from sheep's pancreas and adsorbed in fuller's earth by 

 the method employed by Dr. W. H. Eddy have any effect on the 

 metabolic activities of free cells. 



The free living cells used in the experiments were the descend- 

 ants of a single individual Paramecium aurelia. These were 

 cultivated on half and half pure spring water and 24-hour-old 

 boiled flour water used fresh each day. On this diet the average 

 division rate varied from 1.5 to 2.0 divisions per day at the time 

 the vitamine tests were started. 



The vitamine-bearing fuller's earth was kept in capsules pre- 

 pared by Dr. Eddy. A small dose of this was obtained by moisten- 

 ing the point of a needle in the Paramecium culture water and 

 dipping this in the capsule. The adhering granules were then 

 shaken off in the culture water. 



It was necessary at first to determine whether or not the fine 

 granules of the fuller's earth would be ingested by the Paramecium. 

 For this purpose sterile spring water was used with the earth. 

 It is well known that similar granules of carmine or indigo will 

 be ingested and a few preliminary tests showed that the granules 

 of fuller's earth are similarly taken in and stored in the gastric 

 vacuoles. To be doubly sure of this a quantity of the fuller's 

 earth was stained with neutral red, washed and then supplied 

 as before to Paramecium. The bright pink granules in the result- 

 ing gastric vacuoles left no doubt that the Paramecium will ingest 

 the vitamine-bearing granules. 



The individual Paramecium to be studied was isolated in a 

 watch glass containing one drop of Great Bear water, one drop 

 of boiled flour water which has been exposed for twenty-four 

 hours, and the usual dose of vitamine-bearing fuller's earth. 

 It was then stored away in a moist chamber and left for twenty- 



