204 



Scientific Proceedings (108). 



109 (1569) 



Variations in the affinity of hemoglobin for carbon monoxide in 

 health and disease. 



By Alexander L. Prince. 



[From the Physiological Laboratory, Yale School of Medicine, 

 New Haven, Conn.] 



It is known that the affinity of hemoglobin for carbon monoxide 

 varies slightly in different individuals and even more in the blood 

 of various species. But the possibility of variations in human 

 blood under conditions of health and disease has not received 

 special consideration. 



Bloods from normal individuals and selected hospital cases in 

 whom the percentage of hemoglobin varied from 38 to no per 

 cent, were examined. 



In each case the blood was equilibrated in vitro at 20 0 C. with 

 known concentrations of carbon monoxide in atmospheric air and 

 the carbon monoxide-hemoglobin dissociation curve of the blood 

 determined. 



From the curves the oxygen-carbon monoxide affinity ratio 

 was computed by the following formula : 



a rc • ™ T °2 X CO per cent. X affinity 0 2 

 Affinity CO = (loo _ co per cent.) X TCO 



when T0 2 = the tension of 0 2 (2,100 when expressed in parts 

 per 10,000 of air). 

 TCO = the tension of CO (expressed in parts of carbon 

 monoxide in 10,000 of air) at any given point 

 in the carbon monoxide dissociation curve of 

 the blood. 



CO per cent. = percentage saturation of the blood at a given 

 tension of CO. 



Affinity 0 2 and affinity CO = the relative affinity of 0 2 and CO 

 for the blood when affinity for O2 = 1. 



The results obtained are shown in the following table. It will 

 be noted that (1) the carbon monoxide variations in the oxygen- 



