1888.] Haycraft and Williamson on Alkalinity of Blood. 399 
statement is not absolutely true, for probably the blood-plasma 
does not percolate so readily into the litmus paper as does a watery 
solution of an alkali. In this case, however, the error will be uni- 
form, and will not interfere with the usefulness of a series of physio- 
logical experiments. One of us experimenting with this method in 
the wards of the Edinburgh Koyal Infirmary and in the Physiological 
Laboratory, has come across examples of blood showing, under dif- 
ferent pathological and physiological conditions, as great variations 
as are found in the reaction of the urine. In one instance, the blood 
was found to be strongly acid, and frequently its alkalinity may be 
represented by or even more. We refrain from giving the 
exact strengths of the test papers we use, inasmuch as it may be 
found expedient to readjust them somewhat. This will be stated 
in a paper which we hope will shortly appear. 
5. The Electrolytic Decomposition of Proteid Substances. 
By George N. Stewart, Esq. 
Preliminary Notice. 
Of late this subject has become of considerable practical interest 
in medicine, especially in connection with the use of voltaic currents 
for the treatment of uterine fibroids and other pelvic disorders. 
Nearly a year ago, I began some experiments on the conductivity 
of albuminous solutions, which I have only been able lately to re- 
sume. So far the results are as follows ; — 
1. The resistance diminishes with increase of temperature both 
before and after coagulation, the percentage diminution being less 
the higher the temperature. 
2. The rate of diminution of resistance is not affected by 
coagulation. Within the limits of error of the experiments, for any 
given temperature the resistance of any one specimen of albumin is 
the same both before and after coagulation. 
3. When egg-albumin is dialysed over distilled water, and then 
concentrated at a low temperature to its original bulk, the longer 
the dialysis has gone on the greater is the resistance. (It is well 
known that it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to separate 
all the salts by dialysis.) 
A 38 hours’ dialysis in one case was found to increase the resist- 
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