104 INJURY, RECOVERY, AND DEATH 



replacement in sea water. The velocity constants K ^ 

 and K^ have the normal values in sea water, 0.0036 and 

 0.1080 respectively. Hence the resistance at the end of 

 10.6 minutes is 87.44. 



We must likewise remember that on replacing the 

 tissue in sea water the reactions — *-8 — ^-A recom- 

 mence and produce a certain amount of A ; this breaks 

 down to form M, which in turn decomposes. The resulting 

 amount of M may be easily calculated. It will be recalled 

 that in sea water all processes are so adjusted that the 

 amount of M remains constant; it is evident that if 

 the reactions — ^-S — *■ A were suddenly to stop, allow- 

 ing A — >M — >-B to continue, the amount of M would 

 diminish. At the start the total resistance is 100. If 

 should stop producing this would diminish and we may 

 call the loss of resistance L. Now if were producing 

 normally it would just replace this loss, so as to keep 

 the resistance constant at 100: hence the amount pro- 

 duced from in any given time will be equal to the loss 

 L which would occur in that time if were to 

 stop producing. 



When tissue is exposed to a solution of NaCl, di- 

 minishes according to the scheme N — >■ — >-P. Assum- 

 ing that at the start N = 89.1 and = 90 we find='« that the 

 value of after any given time (Te) of exposure to a solu- 



" This value of is assumed merely for convenience in calculation, 

 without reference to other assumed values. Its real value must be much 

 greater than that of A, but it is not necessary to assign any definite real 

 value to it, since the only point of interest is to determine what per cent, 

 of remains after any given time of exposure to sea water. It is assumed 

 that in sea water any change in the amount of is so small as to be 

 negligible. This might be due to the fact that is present in large 

 amount and decomposes slowly or to the fact that it is formed as rapidly 

 as it decomposes (by the reactions N — >.0 — >-I*)- 



