24 CHEMICAL PROCESS 



Example : 



Frequency 6 24 48 



Cubic centims of CO 2 per minute 171 396 696 



per respiration 28-5 16-5 14-5 



(Vierordt). 



The frequency remaining the same, the CO 2 increases 

 with the amplitude of the respirations. 

 Example : 

 Frequency 12 respirations per minute. 



Amplitude. CO, per min. (c.c.) Percentage. 



3 Litres 162 5-4 



6 240 4-5 



12 ,, 480 4-0 



24 ,, 816 3-4 (Vierordt). 



In the compressed air chamber the respirations become 

 more ample and the CO 2 discharge increases. 



Respiratory exchange of gases. If a liquid is exposed to 

 a gas, the former absorbs the latter until equilibrium is 

 established. As soon as this is the case the tension of the 

 gas in the liquid is said to be equal to its tension outside of 

 it. If a liquid is exposed to a gaseous mixture, the ab- 

 sorption of each gas takes place as if there were no other. 

 If a very small volume of a gaseous mixture is exposed to 

 an indefinitely large volume of a liquid containing gases, 

 the latter will be absorbed from, or given off into the 

 former until the tension of each gas in the mixture is equal 

 to its tension in the liquid. When in this experiment the 

 liquid is the circulating blood, and the mixture atmospheric 

 air, the oxygen of the latter diminishes, for the tension of 

 oxygen in such blood scarcely amounts to 30 millimeters 

 (=^5- atmosphere), while the CO 2 increases until its tension 

 amounts to about 40 millimeters. 



The tension of carbonic acid in the air contained in the 

 air cells is so little inferior to that of ordinary venous 

 blood, that the discharge of CO 2 would probably be in 



