THE INFLUENCE OF SODIUM CHLORIDE AND TEMPERATURE ON THE ENDOGENOUS RESPIRATION OF B. CEREUS

Measurements were made of the rate of consumption of oxygen by suspensions of B. cereus, in sodium chloride solutions of concentration up to 1.8 M and over a range of pH from 6.0 to 7.5. It was found: 1. That the temperature coefficient was independent of the presence of sodium chloride in concentrations between 0.2 and 1.8 M, although the rate of respiration was lowered considerably under these conditions. 2. That in the presence of concentrations of sodium chloride less than 0.2 M, the rate of respiration was increased, and so was the temperature coefficient. 3. That small changes in the temperature coefficient occurred when the pH was changed. The temperature coefficient was higher the higher the rate of respiration. These data may be more readily interpreted by the hypothesis that the temperature coefficient is controlled by some master reaction, than by that which supposes that the temperature coefficient is determined by protoplasmic viscosity.

SOME TEMPERATURE CHARACTERISTICS IN MAN

The value of µ = 29,400 has been found for the human heart beat over the temperature range of approximately 4.7°C. This value is different from that of 24,000 calories which has been obtained for the effect of temperature on judgments of short durations. The evidence indicates that the estimation of short time intervals is controlled by a chemical master reaction which is independent of the pulse rhythm.