746 



HENRY G. BARBOUR 



C.C. OXYGEN CONSUMPTION PER MINUTE 



Animal 



rabbit 



rabbit 



cat 



cat 



cat 



dog 



dog 



Normal 

 22.7 

 20.7 

 35.4 

 30.9 

 28.8 

 39.7 

 35.7 



Return 



to normal Normal 

 23.8 



30.9 



44.8 



30.5-30.8 

 60.6-53.2 

 36.6-52.0 



33.7 

 39.3 

 42.1 



The "second period" presents the picture which is so characteristic 

 of the toxic action of the cyanids. Now Geppert showed that this marked 

 fall in the oxygen intake took place at a period when the ventilation was 

 not reduced, but was enormously increased, i. e., the asphyxial demand 

 for oxygen was present. Furthermore, the oxygen consumption was low 

 not only during rest but during all stages of muscular restlessness up to 

 actual spasms. During the convulsions, which often occurred, dogs occa- 

 sionally (not always) exhibited an abnormally high oxygen consumption. 

 In other species the oxygen intake was always subnormal even during the 

 spasms. Similarly during the tetanizing respectively of normal and of 

 poisoned animals Geppert found the oxygen consumption lower by two- 

 thirds to four-fifths in the cyanid animals than in the controls. 



The oxygen consumption was thus found reduced under circumstances 

 in which an opposite effect would logically be expected. 



The following are Geppert's figures for the carbon dioxid content of 

 arterial and of venous blood : 



C.C.OOo IX 100 C.C. BLOOD 



No. 

 34 



35 

 36 

 33 



37 



Normal Poisoned 



Arterial Venous Arterial Venous 



41.1 



43.7 

 40.3 



41.4 



50.3 



22.0 



18.0 

 23.6 



17.7 



23.9 



48.2 



30.2 



Dog, art. at 1st spasm, 

 venous during paraly- 

 sis 



Dog, moderate spasm 

 Rabbit, 6 min. after in- 

 jection 



Rabbit, after spasm 

 Rabbit, ven. at end of 

 spasm, arterial during 

 paralysis 



