HEAT DEATH IN ARIANTA ARBUSTORUM

1. 1. The rate of O2 consumption of Arianta arbustorum rises with increasing temperature and falls again near the heat death point. This is due to damage caused by the high temperature and this rate cannot be maintained. 2. 2. Tissues taken from snails which have been killed by exposure to 40°C for 1 hr consume O2 at a steady rate at 30°, which is lower than in normal snails in the case of muscle and hepatopancreas but is the same in the case of kidney. 3. 3. There is a significant decrease in the Na concentration in the blood of heat-dead snails and a very marked change in the Na/K ratio. It is suggested that this causes a failure in neuromuscular transmission which leads to the death of the animal at high temperatures. © 1969.