372 Ventilation of the Lung during Chloroform Narcosis. 



of oxygen, 23"6 at 13-8° ; after explosion, 23-08 at 13-9° ; after absorption by KOH, 16-14 

 at 13 - 9° ; after absorption by "pyro," - 40 at 13'9° and constant volume (12-60). 

 Sample II. — Volume of blood = 10 - 3 c.c. 



Pressure of gas at 14"2° and constant volume (48'65 c.c.) = 8 - 98 cm. ; after addition of 

 oxygen, 25 - 81 at 14-2° ; after combustion, 24"75 at 14 - 2° ; after treatment with KOH, 

 16-65 at 14-2°; and after " pyro," 1 -48 at 14'5° and constant volume (12'60 c.c). The 

 oxygen used for combustion contained l - 3 per cent, of nitrogen. 



Composition of Gas in c.c. per 100 c.c. of Blood. 



Haemoglobin by haemoglobinometer : first sample, 70 per cent. ; second 

 sample, 68 per cent. This is equivalent to about 12 - 6 of oxygen. 



It is clear from this that a change of total respiration from an average of 

 1058 to 657 had no effect on the oxygen-content of the blood. It may thus 

 be fairly concluded that the diminution of oxygen-content of blood in 

 chloroform narcosis is not mainly due to diminished respiration, but to the 

 action of the drug on the red corpuscles ; since, in agreement with the 

 observations of Pohl and Mcloux, we found that as much as 97 per cent, of 

 the chloroform in blood may be actually associated with the red corpuscles.* 

 The views of B. Moore and Boaf and Gangitano may also be regarded as 

 supporting the idea that there is some direct combination between chloroform 

 and the protein of the corpuscles. 



"We take this opportunity of thanking the Government Grant Committee 

 of the Boyal Society for help in carrying out this work. 



* 'Boy. Soc. Proc.,' 1906, B, vol. 78, p. 450. 



