The effect of diet on the dissociation curve of blood 235 



In all three experiments made upon Higgins the curve remained 

 mesectic ; one experiment of the same character was performed upon 

 Graham. 



Two other experiments have been performed with a different 

 result. In each the blood became pleonectic. One of these was 

 performed upon Higgins, another upon myself, and as the contrast in 

 Higgins' case between this experiment and the one given above is 

 striking I will give the results in the same form, i.e. (1) I will give the 

 curves of the experiment, and (2) I will tabulate the values of K. 

 (They are plotted in Fig. 110 B.) 



In the column (1) are the values of K before the experiment 

 began, in column (2) the values a week after it finished ; between these 

 there is no clear difference. In column (3) will be found the values 

 of K on the third day of the diet; in every case the curves were 

 taken at the existing alveolar CO 2 pressures. 



(1) (2) (3) 

 K before diet K a week after diet K on third day of diet 



000243 -000256 -000477 



000303 -000260 -000444 



000218 -000326 -000434 



OOU252 -000280 -000538 



000302 -000362 

 000374 



Mean -00026 -00030 -00047 



The difference which was noticed between the two experiments 

 in which the subject became pleonectic on the carbohydrate-free diet 

 and some subsequent ones, in which he remained mesectic, was that 

 in the pleonectic experiments the subject became upset, whilst in 

 the mesectic experiments he remained in what appeared to be his 

 normal health. In the most recent experiment which was carried out, 

 Higgins, however, was as much upset as in those just cited and his 

 blood remained mesectic. It is not possible, therefore, to accept this 

 explanation. In the one experiment in which Higgins became pleo- 

 nectic, he also became anaemic ; his haemoglobin value dropped to 

 80 / - Whether the two things are connected or not I do not know. 



