138 



Scientific Proceedings (66). 



any fresh serum if it is rendered active by the removal of its anti- 

 trypsin. 1 In the recent experiments we have succeeded in demon- 

 strating the proteolytic activity of the serum of pregnant indi- 

 viduals after the removal of its antitrypsin with boiled placenta, 

 by allowing such a serum to act upon the standard suspension of 

 fresh placenta cells. The number of cells were counted on a 

 Fuchs-Rosenthal counting chamber at intervals during the experi- 

 ment, and it was noticed that the cells underwent disintegration, 

 only when mixed with the serum previously exhausted of its 

 antitrypsin, whereas the control mixtures containing the whole 

 male or female serum or salt solution remained practically 

 unchanged. Such a digestion of placenta cells is not specific, 

 as we have also observed it with the male serum, deprived of its 

 antitrypsin by a non-specific mechanism, such as adsorption by 

 kaolin or starch, as well as by the extraction with chloroform. 



84 (1016) 



The effect of adrenalin on the pupil after removal of the ciliary 



ganglion. 



By Don R. Joseph. 



[From the Department of Physiology, St. Louis University.] 



Cats were used exclusively in these experiments. One ciliary 

 ganglion was removed under ether anesthesia. The comparative 

 irritability of the two irises to minimal doses of adrenalin was 

 tested soon after the operation (1 to 4 hours) and again later 

 (22 to 55 or more hours). In a few cases tests were made as long 

 as 60 to 77 days after the operation. The adrenalin was injected 

 into a saphenous vein. No ether was required. 



Stated briefly the results are these: Removal of the ciliary 

 ganglion renders the corresponding iris hypersensitive to adrenalin. 

 Some increase in sensitiveness is occasionally seen within an hour 

 after removal of the ciliary ganglion, but in most cases the maximal 

 increase does not appear under 4 hours. The heightened irrita- 

 bility to adrenalin was still present after 60 to 77 days. The 



1 J. Bronfenbrenner, Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol, and Med., 1914, Vol. XII, p. 3- J- 

 Bronfenbrcnner, W. J. Mitchel and P. Titus (in press). 



