1897-98.] Dr D. F. Harris on Spectroscopy of Haemoglobin. 201 
with putrid smell. In between six and eight weeks the CO-HbG 
in large amount becomes changed first to reduced HbO and then 
(after five months) to alkali-haematin. As to its power of resisting 
reduction by Am 2 S, the point of importance seems to be whether 
the CO-HbO is or is not freshly made. Some fresh CO-HbO with 
■J of its volume of fresh Am 2 S was put up on 18th February, 
and after three months was still CO-HbO, unreduced, whereas 
some ten days’ old pigment with ^ of its volume of Am 2 S, became 
in twenty-eight days reduced to hsemochromogen. The statement 
that CO-HbO is a very stable pigment is fully justified. 
XIII . — On the Permanence of Hb0 2 and its Derivatives , and upon 
their Resistance to Putrefaction. 
In February 1895 I examined a number of test-tube preparations 
of dilute (‘25 p.c.) solutions of dog’s Hb0 2 which had been hermeti- 
cally sealed up by Professor M £ Kendrick in 1888. Into them had 
been put bits of living tissue to see how these would affect the 
pigment ; the results on that point are too discordant to warrant 
generalisation, but the condition of the tubes after seven years is 
interesting. The Hb0 2 had originally, of course, not been heated, 
but the air above it must have been pretty well sterilised by the 
heat necessary to fuse the glass of the tube. 
Tube 1, in 1888 Hb0 2 + portion of eye, result in 1895 HbO, result in 1897 HbO. 
» 2, 
, , Hb0 2 + cerebral cortex, 
HbO, 
9 9 
HbO. 
„ 3, 
,, Hb0 2 + piece of skin, 
9 9 
Hb0 2 , 
9 9 
Hb0 2 . 
„ 4, 
, , Hb0 2 + nothing, 
99 
HbO, 
9 9 
HbO. 
„ 5, 
, , Hb0 2 + nothing, 
9 9 
HbO, 
9 9 
HbO. 
„ 7, 
,, Hb0 2 + skin, 
99 
Hb0 2 
„ 
Hb0 2 . 
Of these seven, four had become reduced, and of these four two 
had no tissue in them, while two tubes, which after nine years 
were still Hb0 2 , had skin in them ; thus I do not think the results 
as to tissue action are of much value, but the significant fact 
remains that a dilute solution of mammalian Hb0 2 , practically 
sterilised, can remain for nine years chemically in statu quo „ 
Further, those that were HbO in 1895 were HbO in 1897 ; thus 
the reduced pigment in dilute antiseptic solution is as stable a 
form as the oxidised. 
There are differences in the behaviour with regard to putrefac- 
VOL. XXII. 26/9/98. 0 
