30 



Scientific Proceedings (94). 



influence of the anesthetic (ether) might have ample time to 

 disappear, and then observations were made on the following: 

 (1) The minute volume of air breathed; (2) the alveolar C0 2 ; (3) 

 the total C0 2 , P H and (5) the lactic acid content of the arterial 

 blood; and lastly, (6) the total acid excretion by the urine. 



The general nature of the results is indicated in the following 

 table in which the above values are given for an animal which 

 showed no dyspnea (XXIII), and one in which this and irregu- 

 lar breathing were pronounced (XXII). 



These experiments typify the results in extreme cases; the 

 animal in XXIII remained in perfect condition for over five hours 

 after the decerebration, whereas in that of XXII the breathing, 

 although normal at the start, became later rapid and dyspnc'c, 

 death, preceded by vomiting, occurring in about three and one 

 half hours after the decerebration. Of a total of thirteen animals 

 so far observed, six behaved like XXIII, for at least five hours, 

 and four like XXII, while three gave intermediate results. Ani- 

 mals in both of the latter groups died within three hours. In the 

 animals of the second group which provisionally we may call the 

 acidosis group, the following changes were invariably found: (1) 

 A progressive decrease in alveolar CO2 followed later by (2) a 

 decrease in blood C0 2 , (3) an increase in acidity (P H lower and 

 (4) an increase in the lactic acid content of the blood. The ex- 

 cretion of acids and ammonia by the urine was irregular. The 

 simplest interpretation of the results is that the development of a 

 condition of acidosis is responsible for the changes observed in 

 the dyspneic group of animals. It is further of interest to record, 

 that decerebrate rigidity was much more pronounced in the "acid- 

 osis" animals than in those that remained normal. Whether the 

 rigidity is responsible for the acidosis, by causing lactic acid to 

 be discharged in excessive quantities into the blood, or whether 

 it is an effect of the acidosis, is at present problematical. 



Marked glycosuria was common in most of the animals. 



