s 



Scientific Proceedings (55). 



citrate. It should be particularly noted that the ratio between 

 calcium and citrate is approximately the same as that observed 

 in the previous experiments on coagulation of oleate, toxicity 

 to mice and interference with complement hemolysis, a fact which 

 lends further support to the theory that the liberation of thrombin 

 is associated with a disturbance in the colloidal equilibrium of fatty 

 substances present in the cell membrane. 



These experiments prove, furthermore, that the membrane 

 contains substances other than fats and lipoids and, in the absence 

 of the latter, is apparently uninfluenced by the addition of an 

 excess of calcium to the system. In the light of these experiments, 

 it should be possible to greatly simplify the existing theories 

 regarding blood coagulation and to reduce the whole question to 

 one of the liberation of thrombin as a result of a disturbance in 

 the colloidal equilibrium of the platelet membrane under the 

 influence of electrolytes and the subsequent precipitation of 

 fibrinogen by adsorption of thrombin. 



4 (821) 



On analogous effects exerted by anesthetics in physical and 

 biological systems. 



By G. H. A. Clowes. 



[From the Biological Chemical Department of the State Institute for 

 the Study of Malignant Diseases, Buffalo, N. Y.] 



Lillie has recently demonstrated that anesthetics used in 

 certain concentrations are capable of functioning in a manner 

 similar to calcium salts, protecting Arenicola larvae from the 

 destructive effect of pure salt solutions. Since calcium, on the 

 one hand, and anesthetics, on the other, are capable of rendering 

 a concentration film of fatty acid salts or lipoids relatively more 

 soluble in oil and less soluble in water, it appeared possible that 

 the agents in question protect the cell protoplasm by counter- 

 acting the destructive effect of negative ions on similar surface 

 films formed between an external lipoid phase of protoplasm, and 

 adjacent aqueous phases. If this theory were correct it should be 

 possible to counteract the effect of negative ions in purely physical 



