236 STUDIES IN GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY 



relation between the amount of oxygen dissolved in a sodium- 

 chloride solution and its concentration that I have been able 

 to find in the literature is the following: According to the 

 experiments of Fernet 1 if I understand the term "titre de 

 solution" correctly, the absorption coefficient 



of a 5.42 per cent. XaCl solution at 16 C. = 0.0284 

 of a 0.72 per cent. XaCl solution at 14.1 C. = 0.0293. 



Tin- corresponding coefficients for distilled water are accord- 

 ing to Bunsen 2 0. 02941) and <Ui:jn:>,0. The effect of con- 

 criitration upon gas absorption is therefore so slight that 

 it may be neglected in our experiments. Since data such as 

 these are but few in number, I wish to add a few on the ab- 

 sorption of carbon dioxide. 



Professor Zuntz, who brought Fernefs work to my notice, 

 was so kind as to inform me that, according to his experi- 

 ments, a saturated NaCl solution absorbs about one-third as 

 much CO as distilled water. The figures of Fernet about 



& ' 



correspond with these. According to this author, the ab- 

 sorption coefficient of CO 3 



in a 6.25 per cent. XaCl solution at 11.2 C. = 93.T>, 

 in distilled water (according to Bunsen) at 11 C. = 1.1336, differ- 

 ence = 0.2001; 



in a 2.22 per cent XaCl solution at 14.1 : C. = 0.9463, 

 in distilled water (according to Bunsen) at 14.1 C. = 1.0291; differ- 

 ence =00828; 



in a 0.83 per cent. XaCl solution at 16 D C. =0.9591, 

 in distilled water (according to Bunsen) at 16 C. = 0.9753; differ- 

 ence = 0.0162. 



The decrease in the absorption coefficient of CO 3 with an 

 increase in the concentration of the NaCl solution from to 

 6 per cent, is about 0.2. This decrease about corresponds 

 with that caused by an increase in the temperature from 10 



'FERNET, Annales des sciences natu relies, 4th Series, "Zoologie," Vol. VIII 

 (lsr>7). See also ZUNTZ, " Blutgase und resp. Gaswechsel," HERMANN'S Handbuch 

 der Physiologic, Vol. IV. 



2 BUNSEN, Gasometrische Methoden, 2d ed., 1877. 



