86 (150) Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. 



was found that the viscosity is increased by deep and lessened 

 during light narcosis. The specific gravity of the blood also 

 shows regular variations. It is increased by deep and lessened 

 by light ether narcosis. Chloroform, on the other hand, produces 

 a slight decrease during deep and an increase during light narcosis. 

 Hence the specific gravity cannot be regarded as an accurate index 

 of the viscosity. 



46 (92). " Studies of the effects of radium on plants and ani- 

 mals," with demonstrations : Communicated by WILLIAM J. 

 GIES. 



The various studies of the effects of radium that are included 

 in this communication w r ere carried out at the writer's suggestion 

 and under his general direction. All of them are still in progress. 

 They were made possible by the generosity of Mr. Hugo Lieber, 

 who gave the writer an abundant supply of radium bromid for each 

 series of experiments. Professor William Hallock also encouraged 

 the work by permitting the use of some of his valuable samples 

 of radium bromid and radioactive substances. Dr. G. B. Pegram 

 has given advice freely on physical matters connected with radio- 

 activity. The studies included in this plan were the following 

 (I-V):' 



I. "Preliminary notes on the effects of radium rays on plants" : 

 C. Stuart Gager (New York Botanical Garden). 



The radium (bromid) has been employed in several forms, and 

 in degrees of activity ranging from 10,000 to 1,500,000. Experi- 

 ments so far indicate that the effect is the same in kind, whether 

 the plants are stimulated with gamma rays only, or with alpha and 

 beta rays as well. When three kinds of rays are employed the 

 effects, within the same time, seem to be increased. The results 

 already obtained justify the following statements : 



The rays of radium act as a stimulus to plants. For this 

 stimulus there are minimum, optimum, and maximum points, de- 

 pending upon the proximity of the radium to the plant, the strength, 

 quantity, and condition of the radium salt, the time of exposure, 

 and the nature and state of the tissue. 



The early stages of seed germination are accelerated, if stimu- 

 lation ranges between the minimum and optimum points, otherwise 



1 Each of the collaborators has written the report of his own share of the investiga- 

 tions. 



