94 CICATRIZATION OF WOUNDS 



or 



which is equivalent to T = — Log^ ^-^ 



or KT = Log, |5 



which can be written 



S=S,e-KT^ 



e being the base of natural logarithms. 



In calculating the values of K for different values of r, one 

 sees that this coefficient increases regularly. This equation, 

 as could be expected, does not express the facts, and gives for 

 each value of T (the age of the wound) values of S which 

 differ more and more from those calculated by the extra- 

 polation formula: 



Sn=S,_^[i-i {t^Vm)] (4) 



It was therefore necessary to introduce another coefficient 

 which would correct the divergence as cicatrization pro- 

 gressed. This coefficient had to be incorporated preferably 

 into the formula as an exponent. But here a problem immedi- 

 ately arose. Was it better to attempt to find this correction 

 by giving to T its real value and by studying the law of the 

 variations of iC, or was it better to maintain K constant and to 

 study the variations of a certain coefficient a entering into the 

 exponent in the following manner: 



I tried the two methods. The first revealed itself as not 

 practical because the coefficient being small (of the order of 

 0-020) with respect to the time T, the smallest numerical 

 variations were of sufficient importance to destroy the con- 

 cordance of the curves. In other words, this correction was 

 too sensitive. In the second case, on the contrary, fairly 



