Molecular iveight of haemoglobin 



35 



1'85 calories*. We have indicated above that the molecular weight 

 of haemoglobin (Hb), t is to be found by dividing the quantity q by 

 H. The result of which is approximately 15,200 a figure very near 

 to the theoretical figure 1(3,669. f 



We have then by the above reasoning shown that the molecular 

 weight of (Hb) rt = 16,669, therefore Hb must either be that figure or 

 some submultiple of it. Thus if n was 2, then Hb would be 8335, 



FIG. 16. A, oxygen holder. B, warm bath for heating oxygen up to temperature of 

 haemoglobin. C, coil of metal tubing. D, chamber for measuring temperature 

 of oxygen. E, rubber pressure tubing. F, De war's flask containing haemoglobin. 

 G and //, Beckmaun's thermometers. 



and so forth. Clearly this last alternative is an impossible one, for 

 it would involve the splitting of the atom of iron. The figure 16,669 

 containing 56 parts of iron is the smallest figure for the molecular 

 weight which would fit the facts of chemical analysis. The analyst 

 would admit a multiple of 16,669 but not a submultiple. We have 

 therefore no alternative but to regard n as unity, a result which 



* This result is the mean of three experiments which gave values of 1'82, 1'9S, 

 1'75, respectively. 



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