THE ' METABOLIC 15ALANCE SHEET ' OV THE INDIVIDUAL TISSUES. 439 



oxygen consumption. This has been shown in the lieait, the pancreas, 

 the salivary glands, and the kidney. 



2. Increased vascularity is associated with increased production of 

 carbonic acid in such a way as to suggest the conclusion that some pro- 

 duct of the metabolic activity of the organ — probably not COg itself — 

 causes vascular dilatation during increased function activity. This ha.s 

 been shown in the heart and the salivary glands. 



3. A comparison of the ' coefficients of oxidation ' (the quantity of 

 oxygen used up per gramme of tissue per minute) varies for different 

 organs when at rest. It is much higher for the glandular organs than 

 for skeletal muscle. The following iigures are known : — 



The following calculation would 



some approximation to the 



oxidation taking place in the organs of a dog of 10 kilogrammes (1) when 

 all the organs were (except the heart) resting ; (2) when all were active. 

 The liver is calculated on the basis of other glandular organs — an exter- 

 polation which seemed to be justified in the light of a couple of pre- 

 liminary experiments : — ■ 



From the results given above it would appear that the role of muscle 

 as the great regulator of heat pi'oduction is played as much in virtue of 

 the relatively small amount of oxidation which takes place in it when at 

 rest as the relatively great amount during activity. 



In bringing the inquiry to a close— at least as regards the more general 

 aspects referred to in this report — the Committee wish to express their 

 sense of the generous .spirit in which the British Aissociation has met the 



