CONTENTS. 



Paet I. 



Page 



An historical account of the development of methods for determining oxygen. 3 



Early investigations on the composition of the air 4 



The nitric-oxide eudiometer 7 



The beginnings of accurate air-analysis 15 



The foundations of modern air-analysis 29 



Summary of historical digest 66 



Part II. 



Analyses of atmospheric air made at the Nutrition Laboratory 69 



Fundamental essentials of accurate air-analyses 71 



Apparatus and technique used in this research 75 



Detailed description of the apparatus 76 



Reagents used 79 



Plan and methods of research 82 



Method of collecting outdoor air 82 



Method of using the apparatus and results obtained 83 



First routine and results obtained 83 



Second routine and results obtained 88 



Control analyses 93 



Third routine and results obtained 94 



Effect on oxygen absorption of high and low temperatures 96 



Fourth routine and results obtained 98 



Fifth routine and results obtained 100 



Conclusions from results with fifth routine 105 



Analyses of air collected on the Atlantic Ocean 106 



Analyses of air from Pike's Peak 108 



Analyses of street air 109 



Analyses of subway air 110 



Absorption of oxygen by potassium pyrogallate Ill 



Conclusions 114 



Hi 



