130 



Scientific Proceedings (106). 



nation of the increase or decrease in oxidation under the conditions 

 enumerated. 



On examination of the literature, it was found that Winternitz 11 

 had already shown that the unfertilized hen's egg showed no 

 catalytic activity even after prolonged incubation, whereas the 

 incubated fertilized egg rapidly acquired the power of decomposing 

 hydrogen peroxide. We repeated and confirmed these observa- 

 tions of Winternitz. Doubtless if Winternitz had determined the 

 intensity of oxidation in the fertilized hen's egg, he would have 

 found that this increased parallel with the increase he observed 

 in catalase, and if Warburg had determined the catalase content 

 of the fertilized sea-urchin egg, he would have found this enzyme 

 increased parallel with the increase he observed in oxidation. 

 J. Loeb 12 attributes the development of the fertilized sea- 

 urchin egg to the increase in oxidation, and the increase in oxida- 

 tion to a change in the cortex of the egg which makes the entrance 

 of oxygen, and hence oxidation possible, while R. Lillie 13 holds 

 that the cortical layer of the unfertilized egg prevents the diffusion 

 of C0 2 from the egg and this C0 2 prevents oxidation, and hence 

 development. A more plausible explanation for the increased 

 oxidation or metabolism in the fertilized egg, and hence for the 

 development of the egg, would seem to be that the spermatazoon 

 furnishes a substance which stimulates the egg to an increased for- 

 mation of catalase. Further evidence in support of this view is 

 afforded by the fact that the very same chemicals (amines, 

 alkalies, acetates, butyric acid, etc.) which Loeb found would 

 bring about increased oxidation and artificial parthenogenetic 

 development of the egg, we found when introduced into the ali- 

 mentary tract of animals, stimulated the alimentary glands, 

 particularly the liver, to an increased output of catalase with 

 resulting increase in oxidation. 



Battelli and Stern 14 found that the catalase content of most 

 of the tissues and particularly of the liver of newly born pigs is 

 lower than the corresponding tissues of the mother, but that the 



11 Winternitz and Rogers, Jour. Exper. Med., 1910, xii, 12. 



12 Loeb, Artificial Parthenogenesis and Fertilization. University of Chicago 

 Press, 1 9 13. 



13 Lillie, Am. Jour. Physiol., 1910, xxvii, 289. 



14 Battelli and Stern, Arch, di Fisiol., 1905, ii, 471. 



