260 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCTENCE.—1913. 
The presence of iodine in the thyroid of frogs, fishes, and reptiles 
is under investigation, and it is hoped to have some publishable data 
shortly. This comparative work is being carried out with the assist- 
ance of Mrs. Thompson. 
This chemical work is preliminary to a thorough investigation (by 
means of metabolism experiments) of the réle of iodine in the animal 
economy. 
The Committee ask to be reappointed, with a grant of 401. 
The Dissociation of Ory-Hemoglobin at High Altitudes.—Report 
of the Committee, consisting of Professor EK. H. STARLING 
(Chairman), Mr. J. Barcrorr (Secretary), and Mr. W. B. 
Harpy. 
In this report the blood will be termed ‘ mesectic ’ when the balance 
of ions in it is such that the dissociation curve of the individual is in 
its normal position, ‘ pleonectic’! when the curve is so shifted that 
at any given pressure of oxygen the hemoglobin takes up more oxygen 
than under normal circumstances, and ‘ meionectic ’ when it takes less 
than its usual quantity of oxygen. 
The curves in this report are calculated from the formula suggested 
by Hill 
i Kan 
1000 «1+ Ka’ 
where y = the percentage saturation of hemoglobin with oxygen, 
x =oxygen pressure in mm., K and n are constants for each curve. 
In human blood n remains 2°5, therefore practically K is the only 
variable. 
The immediate effect of exercise, if sufficiently severe, is to shift 
the curve in the direction of greater acidity; this may take place even 
though the carbonic acid tension is reduced. 
For instance, the constants of Roberts’ mesectic curve are n=2°5, 
K=:00033, log K=4°5785, his normal alveolar CO, pressure is 40 mm. 
Some points on his curve would be as follows :— 
Percentage saturation. 9°4 22 37 51 62 85°5 95 
Pressure of oxygen . 10 15 20 25 30 50 80 
After climbing 1,000 feet from sea level in 20 minutes up Carlingford 
mountain, his curve became meionectic, 
n=2'5, K=:0001805, log K=4:2565, CO,=35 mm. 
Percentage saturation . 6 14 24 35 47 716 91 
Pressure ofoxygen. . 10 15 20 25 30 50 80 
At slow rates of climbing, 1,000 feet in 45 minutes, Barcroft’s blood 
remained mesectic. 
) wdeovextixds, disposed to takejmore than one’s share. From mAcovetia, a dispo] 
sition to take more than one’s share (Liddell and Scott). We are indebted to Dr 
W. M. Fletcher and Mr. Harrison for this nomenclature. + 
