STUDIES IN PROTOPLASM POISONING : I. PHENOLS

1. After equilibrium of distribution of a phenol between water and an animal immersed in it has been once attained, the poisoning of the animal proceeds with constant velocity. The criterion of toxicity adopted in the first part of this study was the time required for initial recovery from paralysis after a given time in the phenol solution. In later work observations were made of the percentages of animals which died after stated periods in a phenol solution. 2. The numerical value of the velocity constant of poisoning for a given solution is independent of the criterion of toxicity adopted, provided that the criterion serves to measure the intensity of effect of the poison, and not merely the rate at which the poison is absorbed. 3. Recovery from paralysis produced by phenol and death from this poison has the same velocity constant. From this it may be inferred that recovery is due to a reversal of the mechanism which underlies poisoning. 4. The velocity of poisoning by phenols is nearly proportional to the square of the concentration. 5. A strictly chemical (mass law) interpretation is shown to be inadequate for the description of poisoning by phenols. 6. Certain physical factors, involved in poisoning by phenols, are discussed. 7. A precise method for obtaining the velocity constant of poisoning by a given agent is outlined.