1868.] On the Action of Nitrites on the Blood. 339 



May 7, 1868. 



Dr. W. B. CAEPENTER, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



In conformity with the Statutes, the names of the Candidates recom- 

 mended for election into the Society were read from the Chair, as follows : — 



John Ball, Esq., M.A. 

 Henry Charlton Bastian, M.D. 

 Lieut. -Colonel John Cameron, R.E. 

 Prof.R. Bellamy Clifton, M.A. 

 Morgan William Crofton, Esq., B.A. 

 Joseph Barnard Davis, M.D. 

 P. Martin Duncan, M.B. 

 Peter Griess, Esq. 

 Augustus George Vernon Harcourt, 

 Esq. 



Rear-xldmiral Astley Cooper Key, 

 C.B. 



Rear-Admiral Erasmus Ommaney, 

 C.B. 



James Bell Pettigrew, M.D. 

 Edward James Stone, Esq., M.A. 

 Rev. Henry Baker Tristram, M.A. 

 William Sandys Wright Vaux, Esq., 

 M.A. 



The following communications were read : — 



I. " Researches on the Blood. — On the Action of Nitrites on the 

 Blood." By Arthur Gamgee, F.R.S.E.^ Assistant to 



the Professor of Medical Jurisprudence in the University of 

 Edinburgh. Communicated by Prof. Erankland, E.R.S. 

 Received April 1, 1868. 



(Abstract.) 



The paper commences with a statement of the facts with which we are 

 at present acquainted, relating to the nature and character of the hlood- 

 colouring-matter, and its relation to gases. 



I. The action of nitrites in modifying the colour and spectrum of blood 

 is then described. Under the influence of nitrites, arterial blood assumes 

 a chocolate coloration. Coincidently the bands of scarlet cruorine (or 

 oxidized haemoglobin) become very faint, and an additional absorption 

 band, occupying the same position as that of acid haematin, appears. The 

 addition of ammonia to blood in which nitrites have induced the charac- 

 teristic change of colour and spectrum, causes the red colour to return and 

 gives rise to a new spectrum in which the normal blood-bands are again 

 better defined, but accompanied by a faint and rather undefined absorption 

 band in the orange. It appears from the experiments of the author that 

 the change in optical properties induced by ammonia is not due to any 

 decomposing action exerted upon the body formed under the influence of 

 nitrites ; for on neutralizing the solution to which ammonia has been added, 

 the original spectrum is reproduced. When sulphide of ammonium, or a 

 reducing-solution of iron is added to a blood solution which has been acted 

 upon by nitrites, all effects of their action disappear, and the solution again 

 possesses the spectrum of oxidized blood-colouring-matter, although precau- 



VOL. XVI. 2 K 



