QUANTITATIVE STUDIES ON THE PHOTOLETHAL EFFECTS OF QUARTZ ULTRA-VIOLET RADIATION UPON PARAMECIUM

Paramecia grown under controlled conditions were irradiated at known intensities of light of wave-lengths 2537, 2654, 2804, 3025, and 3130 A. The approximate absorption of the light by the Parmecia was found to be greatest and of the same order of magnitude at the three shortest wave-lengths, considerably less at 3025, and least at 3130 A. Paramecia did not die when irradiated with high dosages of intense light of wave-length 3130 A. At the other wave-lengths 50 per cent vesiculation occurred when between 10(12) and 10(13) quanta had been absorbed by a Paramecium. This would indicate that a very large number of molecules in a Paramecium are affected before vesiculation occurs.