92 



THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



In a series of decerebrate cats used in a research by Lois Fraser, 

 R. S. Lang and the author, the alveolar air was analysed for both 

 carbon dioxide and oxygen, and it is of importance in the present 

 connection to place on record the respiratory quotients obtained in 

 samples of air removed at varying periods over a time in which the 

 animal was breathing normally. Table III gives these results. 



Table III 



It will be observed that, with two exceptions, the respiratory 

 quotient varies in different animals from 0-7 to 0-9, indicating that a 

 normal type of metabolism is in progress. The relative steadiness of 

 the quotient in each animal further shows that the alveoli are being 

 ventilated at a uniform rate. 



3. The percentage of carbon dioxide in the arterial blood varies 

 between 37 and 45 volumes per cent, with the exception of the first 

 observations made on cats XVIII and XIV, in the former of which it 

 is abnormally low and in the latter abnormally high. Both of these 



