656 



Experiments 



Let us discuss the results of this last experiment. 



Let us call x the volume of supposed oxygen combined with 

 the hemoglobin contained in 100 cc. of blood, a volume which, by 

 hypothesis, would be independent of the pressure; let us call y the 

 volume of oxygen which 100 cc. of blood would absorb in a state 

 of simple solution as a result of agitation in the air at normal 

 pressure; we shall have: 



At 1 atmosphere x + y = 14.9 (1) 

 At 6 atmospheres x + 6y = 19.2 (2) 

 At 12 atmospheres x -f 12y = 26.0 (3) 

 At 18 atmospheres x + 18y = 31.1 (4) 



Let us subtract (1) from (4), and we get 17y = 16.2; whence 

 y = 0.95; from the equation (1) we then get x = 14.9 — 0.95 = 13.95. 



Substituting these values in equations (2) and (3), we find 

 the figures 19.6 and 25.4, instead of 19.2 and 26, differences which 

 are quite in the order of experimental errors. 



Fig. 46 — Capacity of the blood for oxygen, from a vacuum up to 18 atmos- 

 pheres of air. 



