Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  l 
December,  1901.  I 
Sponges. 
585 
sists  of  interwoven  horny  fibres,  among  and  supporting  which  are 
spiculae  of  silicious  matter  in  greater  or  less  numbers,  and  having  a 
variety  of  forms.  The  fibres  consist  of  a  network  of  fibrils,  whose 
softness  and  elasticity  determine  the  commercial  quality  of  a  given 
sponge.  The  horny  framework  is  perforated  externally  by  very 
minute  pores  and  by  a  less  number  of  larger  openings.  These  are 
parts  of  an  interesting  double  canal  system,  an  external  and  an 
internal,  or  a  centripetal  and  a  centrifugal.  At  the  smaller  openings 
on  the  sponge's  surface  channels  begin,  which  lead  into  dilated 
spaces.  In  these,  in  turn,  channels  arise,  which  eventually  termin- 
ate in  the  large  openings.  Through  these  channels  or  canals  definite 
currents  are  constantly  maintained,  which  are  essential  to  the  exist- 
ence of  the  sponge.  The  currents  enter  through  the  small  aper- 
tures and  emerge  through  the  large  ones. 
The  active  part  of  the  sponge;  that  is,  the  part  concerned  in  nutri- 
tion and  growth,  is  a  soft,  fleshy  mass,  partly  filling  the  meshes  and 
lining  the  canals.  It  consists  largely  of  cells  having  different  func- 
tions:  some  utilized  in  the  formation  of  the  framework,  some  in 
digestion,  and  others  in  reproduction.  Lining  the  dilated  spaces 
into  which  different  canals  lead  are  cells  surmounted  by  whip-like 
processes.  The  motion  of  these  processes  produces  and  maintains 
the  water  currents,  which  carry  the  minute  food-products  to  the 
digestive  cells  in  the  same  cavities.  Sponges  multiply  by  the  union 
of  sexual  products.  Certain  cells  of  the  fleshy  pulp  assume  the  char- 
acter of  ova,  and  others  that  of  spermatozoa.  Fertilization  takes 
place  within  the  sponge.  The  fertilized  eggs,  which  are  called 
larvae,  pass  out  into  the  currents  of  the  wrater,  and,  in  the  course  of 
twenty-four  to  forty-eight  hours,  they  settle  and  become  attached  to 
rocks  and  other  hard  substances,  and  in  time  develop  into  mature 
sponges.  The  depth  of  the  water  in  which  sponge  grows  varies 
from  10  to  50  feet  in  Florida,  but  considerably  more  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean sea,  the  finer  grades  being  found  in  the  deepest  water,  hav- 
ing a  temperature  of  500  to  570. 
The  method  of  obtaining  sponges  in  the  Mediterranean  is  by 
means  of  divers  with  apparatus,  though  this  was  prohibited  by  the 
Turkish  government  many  years  ago,  but  not  adhered  to,  owing  to 
the  lack  of  support  by  the  Greek  government,  and  to  excessive  fish- 
ing, thus  deteriorating  the  sponge  beds,  which  require  about  three 
years  to  properly  develop.    As  a  consequence,  these  goods  have  be- 
