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Chapter XVI 



at 35 mm. pressure, its dissociation curve was thus determined and 

 compared with that of my normal blood at 40 mm. C0 2 pressure. 



The data for my normal curve have already been given. The 

 data at the end of the ascent compared with those of my normal 

 blood were 



The blood proved to be meionectic. 



This experiment was controlled by one in which the ascent was 

 made much more slowly in three-quarters of an hour. This slower 

 speed is much more nearly the mountaineer's rate of climbing. 

 There was scarcely any departure from my normal condition when 

 I reached the summit of the 1000 feet, my respirations were 18 per 

 minute (they are 17 as I sit writing), though no doubt they were 

 deeper than usual ; the carbonic acid in my alveolar air proved to be 

 38mm. and while exposed to that CO. 2 pressure and to 31 mm. oxygen 

 pressure my blood became 56 and 55 / saturated in a couple of 

 determinations. As compared with my normal blood, the following 

 were the data : 



The slower ascent showed all the features of the faster one but to 

 a less marked degree, i.e. the drop in alveolar CO 2 pressure and the 

 meionexy : the departure from the normal was just, but only just, 

 appreciable. The first of the two experiments was also controlled by 

 another of which Roberts was the subject. He made the ascent more 

 rapidly than I did, going up the 1000 feet in 20 minutes. The data 

 which he yielded were as follows : 



* See Appendix III. 



