SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.—I. 479 
of adrenaline, to facilitate the pulmonary circulation. An increased alveolar 
CO, tension may, under pathological conditions, also have some important 
regulating influence. 
6. Prof. J. M. Beartiz.—The Action of Finely-divided Particles of 
Slate, &c., on Toxins. 
Friday, September 14. 
7. Mr. J. R. Bruce and Prof. W. Ramspen.—Irreversible Coagula- 
tion of Albwmin at Free Surfaces. 
8. Mr. J. Brooks and Prof. W. Ramspen.—Factors Determining 
which of two Liquids forms the Droplets of an Emulsion, 
9, Prof. H. KE. Roar.—The Oxygen Conlent of Methemoglobin. 
10. Dr. 8S. Moncxron Copeman, F.R.S.—Diet and Cancer. 
This investigation was undertaken with the object of determining the ulti- 
mate effect, in the adult, of a dietary deficient in the fat-soluble A. vitamin. 
Work on the normal individual having shown that the requirements of the 
human adult are extremely small, patients suffering from cancer were placed 
on a diet from which foodstuffs of animal origin containing the fat-soluble 
vitamin were excluded, in the hope of obtaining some differential effect on the 
growing tumour. 
Treatment on these lines, in suitable cases, has been found capable of 
affording increased expectation of life, together with freedom from pain, 
which may be so complete as to obviate entirely previous need for anodynes. 
11. Joint Discussion with Section B on The Physical Chemistry of 
Membranes in Relation to Physiological Science. 
12, Dr. S. C. Brooxs.—The Electrolytic Conductance of Micro- 
Organisms. 
Monday, September 17. 
13. Dr. W. W. Watier.—Red Blood Corpuscles under the Micro- 
: scope. 
Fallacy due to glass.—Alkali causes a characteristic series of microscopic 
hanges in the corpuscles. Glass slides act as alkaline surfaces. Once this 
fallacy is recognised and eliminated, it is seen that the corpuscles keep their 
‘Shape in a wide range of salt concentrations (in the absence of serum). 
Corpuscular Membrane.—Acid reverses the normal negative charge, but we 
cannot yet explain the ionic interchanges in terms of Membrane Equilibrium. 
zmolysis by alkali shows marked contrast microscopically with acid hemo- 
ysis, and in the latter case the corpuscles remain visible. The normal shape 
ay be explained teleologically as enabling the corpuscle to change volume 
ithout alteration of surface area, as does the box of an aneroid barometer. 
4, Prof. C. Lovarr Evans.—Ezperiments on the Contraction of 
Plain Muscle. 
_ Experiments on plain muscle from various sources have shown that the 
oxygen usage is practically independent of the state of tonus of the muscle. 
The lactic acid content is also under all circumstances considerably lower than 
that of striated muscle. The amount of glycogen in plaiu muscle is so sriall 
that it seems doubtful whether it can be regarded as the source of the lactic 
acid. Since the usual effect of increased H-ion concentration of the muscl> is 
1923 K K 
