Blood Serum in Nephropathies and Cardiopathies. 73 



Effects of atmospheric conditions on the circulatory system 

 are best seen when the observed results are viewed in the light 

 of either the Crampton or the Barach indices. The Crampton 

 index is expressed in terms of percentage, which is determined by 

 the increase in the rate of the heart beat and the rise or fall of the 

 systolic blood pressure when the subject passes from a reclining 

 to an erect posture. A high percentage signifies a slight increase 

 in the heart rate and a considerable increase in blood pressure; 

 a low percentage, a marked increase in the heart rate and a con- 

 siderable decrease in blood pressure. The Crampton percentage 

 rose in an atmosphere of 20° C, 50 per cent, humidity, and fell at 

 30 0 C, 80 per cent, humidity, these results signifying respectively 

 an improvement and a deterioration in the circulatory system or 

 its nervous control. 



The Barach index of cardio-vascular energy represents the 

 sum of the systolic and diastolic blood pressures multiplied by 

 the heart rate. This fell in air of 20° C, 50 per cent, humidity, 

 while at 30 0 C, 80 per cent, humidity, it rose above 20,000, the 

 maximum which Barach has assigned to normal, healthy individ- 

 uals. 



The results indicate that as regards bodily temperature and 

 the cardio-vascular mechanism, such a cool and comfortable at- 

 mosphere as 20 0 C, 50 per cent, relative humidity is beneficial, 

 while the heat and humidity of an atmosphere of 30 0 C, 80 per 

 cent, relative humidity, are deleterious. 



49 (981) 



Physical analysis of blood serum in nephropathies and cardio- 

 pathies. 



By E. E. Butterfield and W. H. Braddock. 



[From the Pathological Department of Bellevue and Allied Hospitals.] 



The current methods of recognizing renal insufficiency are 

 based on the detection of a diminished rate of elimination of 

 substances normal or foreign to body metabolism. The most 

 reliable data are based on a study of the nitrogen, chloride and 



