98 



Prof. B. Moore and Dr. H. E. Eoaf. [Oct. 19, 



chloroform in water or saline ; (2) that the lowering of freezing point in the 

 case of serum goes on increasing far beyond the point of maximum solubility 

 of chloroform in water or saline, but that the increased lowering is not 

 strictly proportional to the extra amount of chloroform added, but progres- 

 sively less ; and (3) above 2 per cent, further addition of chloroform has no 

 more effect upon the freezing point. The latter fact points to a removal of 

 the chloroform by the proteid corresponding to the steep rise in the vapour- 

 pressure curves at I high concentrations. 



E. Changes in Electrical Conductivity in Saline and Serum produced by the 



addition of Chloroform. 



The electrical conductivities were determined by the method of Kohlrausch, 

 at the temperatures of 0°, 15°, and 40° C. In the case of saline (075 per 

 cent.) and different samples of serum, both before and after addition of 

 definite weighed amounts of chloroform. In the case of the saline the 

 amount of chloroform added was - 6 per cent, by weight, and in the case of 

 serum amounts of - 6, 1, 2, and 3 per cent, by weight were added in succes- 

 sive experiments. On account of variations in the different samples of serum 

 there are considerable fluctuations in the results, but certain facts are 

 observable. In Table VII the alterations in the value of K (the specific 

 conductivity, multiplied by 10 3 ) are shown, which result from the addition of 

 the amounts by weight of chloroform shown at the head of each column. It 

 is noticeable that the conductivity is reduced without exception in all cases 

 where chloroform is added to normal saline, due to a diminution of the 

 ionisation of the sodium chloride by the chloroform and alteration of ionic 

 velocity. But when chloroform is added to serum there is, in many cases, an 

 actual increase in conductivity, and in other cases the diminution is less than 

 occurs with the corresponding amount of chloroform added to normal saline. 

 This indicates that there is a tendency for inorganic salts to be set free from 

 the proteid and add to the conductivity. This is only seen as an actual 

 increase where it outbalances the action above mentioned of the chloroform 

 in reducing conductivity in pure saline solution. 



The table shows that the amount of increase in conductivity varies with 

 the temperature and the amount of chloroform added. Thus at 0° C. the 

 diminution in conductivity is the same in saline and serum for - 6 per cent, 

 of chloroform, but when 1 per cent, of chloroform has been added, the 

 diminution becomes converted into an increase ; again, at higher percentages, 

 a diminution is seen, as if all the electrolyte possible had been detached from 

 the proteid at the lower concentrations, and the diminution was now that due 

 to the effect of the additional chloroform upon the saline in solution (fig. 4). 



