610 
DK. A. GAMGEE ON THE ACTION OE NITEITES ON BLOOD. 
Composition of gas in 100 parts. 
Oxygen 2-53 
Carbonic acid 0-63 
Carbonic oxide and nitrogen . 96-84 
100-00 
Assuming that the volume of gas in contact with, 
tbe blood did not alter, i. e. still continued after con- 
tact for one hour and twenty minutes to be 368-5 vols., 
or 41-63 cub. centims., tbe amount of oxygen exhaled 
by the blood would amount to 9-32 vols., or to 1-03 
cub. centims. at 0° and 0 m -76. 
Yol. of CO taken 362-8 vols. =40-4 cub. centims. 
Yol. of gas analyzed . . . 355-8 vols. 
After absorption of C0 2 . . 355-0 „ 
After absorption of O . . 354-8 „ 
Composition of gas in 100 parts. 
Oxygen 0-00 
Carbonic acid 0-22 
Carbonic oxide and nitrogen . . 99-78 
100-00 
After the conclusion of this experiment the blood 
was examined with the spectroscope. The haemo- 
globin bands were very faint and a marked band in 
the red. NH 3 caused this to disappear and shaded 
the orange. Sulphide of ammonium was then added. 
It readily reduced the blood ; on blowing through it, 
the bands of oxidized haemoglobin came out brilli- 
antly . On now passing a stream of CO through the 
blood thus acted upon, it readily acquired the CO 
colour and became irreducible. 
Exp. V. In the experiments now to be described, the conditions were as nearly as 
possible the same as in Exp. IV., with the exception that the blood used was treated 
with a stream of pure oxygen gas before being brought in contact with the carbonic 
oxide gas, or before having the nitrite of potassium added to it. 
a (pure blood). 
The carbonic oxide was prepared by the action of 
pure sulphuric acid upon pure formiate of magne- 
sium. 
Yol. of blood 20 cub. centims. 
Yol. of CO taken . . . 373-98 vols. 
Period of contact with blood 60 minutes. 
Gas analyzed 340-0 vols. 
After absorption of C0 2 . 340-0 „ 
After absorption of O . . 326-0 ,, 
Composition of gas in 100 parts. 
Oxygen 4-11 
Carbonic acid 0-00 
Carbonic oxide and nitrogen . 95-89 
100-00 
Assuming the volume of gas not to have changed 
during the experiment, but to have remained 373-9 
vols. or 41-66 cub. centims., the O exhaled would 
amount to 15-37 vols. = 1-71 cub. centim. at 0° C. 
and 0 m -76. 
b (blood +KN0 2 ). 
The gas used -was prepared as in a. 20 cub. 
centims. of a mixture of blood and solution of nitrite 
of potassium used. It contained 
16-6 cub. centims. of blood. 
Yol. of CO taken . . . 388-5 vols. 
Period of contact with blood 85 minutes. 
Gas analyzed 373-0 vols. 
After absorption of C0 2 . 373-0 „ 
After absorption of O . . 370-0 „ 
Composition of gas in 100 parts. 
Oxygen 0-80 
Carbonic acid 0-00 
Carbonic oxide and nitrogen . 99-20 
100-00 
Assuming the volume of gas not to have changed 
during the experiment, but to have remained 388-5 
vols. or 43-2 cub. centims., the amount of O exhaled 
would be 3-10 vols. =0-345 cub. centim. at 0° C. 
and 0 m -76. 
In the experiments which have preceded it has been shown that, after the action of 
nitrites has been exerted upon blood, carbonic oxide is incapable of thrusting out the 
