ON HAUSA FOLKLORE. 153 



Hausa Folklore. — Report of the Committee, consisting of Mr. E. S. 

 Haktland (Chairman), Dr. A. C. Haddon (Secretary), and Professor 

 J. L. Myres, appointed to advise on the best method, of publishing a 

 collection of Hausa Folklore with translations and grammatical notes. 



The Committee report that they have approached various publishing 

 institutions, but have not been able to induce any of them to under- 

 take the publication of the collection of Hausa Folk-tales with 

 translations and grammatical notes. The Under Secretary of State 

 for the Colonies was memorialised on the subject, but as arrange- 

 ments were already in contemplation for subsidising a similar work 

 by another officer, Mr. Harcourt regretted that he was unable to 

 see his way to recommend a second work of the same nature for 

 Government assistance. The Committee do not seek reappointment. 



The Dissociation of Oxy-Hwmoglobin at High Altitudes. — Report of the. 

 Committee, consisting of Professor E. H. Starling (Chairman). 

 J. Barcroft (Secretary), and W. B. Hardy. 



Mr. Ff. Eoberts collaborated with Dr. G. C. Matheson on the 

 expedition to Pisa (sea-level) Col d'Olen (10,000 feet), and Capanna 

 Margherita (15,000 feet). They determined the hydrogen-ion concen- 

 tration of the blood (exclusive of thatipduced by C0 2 ) by a new method 

 as follows : The addition of acid to the blood decreases the affinity of 

 the haemoglobin for oxygen. This was first shown by Bohr, who 

 used C0 2 . Carbonic acid is not, however, specific. At a standard 

 oxygen tension, therefore (15 mm. O 2 mm. C0 2 at 37° C), the 

 greater the amount of acid in the blood the less the degree of satura- 

 tion with oxygen. A scale was made out at Pisa for the blood of each 

 member of the party, and successive given quantities of lactic acid 

 were added to the blood, and the degree of saturation with oxygen was 

 noted in each case. When the scale had once been made it became 

 possible to estimate the abnormal acid present in the blood at higher 

 altitudes, by observing the percentage saturation under standard con- 

 ditions. 



All members of the party at Col d'Olen showed an addition of 

 acid which in most cases was equivalent to about 0"025 per cent. 

 lactic acid, and about twice that amount at Capanna Margherita. 

 After exercise, however, the amount of acid present was much greater. 

 Thus, immediately on arrival at Col d'Olen, after walking from Alagnia 

 Sesia, an ascent of from 7,000 to 8,000 feet, Mr. Koberts' blood con- 

 tained excess of acid equivalent to 0'08 per cent, lactic acid, and on 

 arrival at Capanna Margherita, after a nine days' stay at Col d'Olen, 

 0"7 per cent. An interesting point about the addition of acid is that 

 it is not immediately excreted on descent from a high altitude. This 

 facts lends to a lower CO L . tension in the alveolar air at Col d'Olen 

 after descent from the Capanna Margherita than before the ascent ; 

 and in order that the respiratory protient might be maintained, 



