PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL AGENTS UPON BLOOD. 
691 
In 100 parts. 
Oxygen. 
Carbonic acid. 
Nitrogen. 
Total oxygen. 
Atmospheric air operated upon 
20-960 
0-002 
79-038 
20-962 
Air after forty-eight hours’ contact 
with — 
Arterial blood 
19*928 
0-183 
79*889 
20-111 
Venous blood 
18-400 
2-157 
79-443 
20-557 
The total amount of oxygen is in both cases slightly diminished, and with this diminu- 
tion the proportion of nitrogen, which is calculated by “ difference,” is necessarily 
increased. 
(b) Effect of Motion on the action of blood on atmospheric air. 
The mere effect of motion was attempted to be ascertained in the following manner. 
Two portions of the same blood of a calf, after being thoroughly arterialized by being 
repeatedly shaken with renewed portions of air, were confined in receivers with 100 per 
cent, of air, and treated in a precisely similar manner during forty-eight hours, except 
that one blood had a small quantity of quicksilver added to it in order to render its 
agitation more complete. The following were the results obtained. 
Pure blood of calf, forty-eight hours’ action with 100 per cent, of atmospheric air: — 
No. 3. — In 100 parts of air. 
Oxygen 
Carbonic acid . 
Nitrogen . . 
^.Jgj-Total oxygen 18-22 
81-78 
Same blood shaken with quicksilver, forty-eight hours’ action with 100 per cent of air, 
yielded the following result : — 
No. 4. — In 100 parts of air. 
Oxygen . . . 
Carbonic acid . 
Nitrogen 
4-11) 
7*63/ 
88-76 
•Total oxygen 11-64 
Oxygen. 
Carbonic acid. 
Nitrogen. 
Ox-blood 
15-14 
3-08 
81-78 
Ox- blood plus quicksilver... 
4-1 
7*53 
88-76 
The difference between these results is very striking, so much so, that it was thought 
advisable to discover if the mercury had not exerted some undefined chemical action, 
either on the air or blood, in addition to its mere mechanical influence in facilitating 
their thorough mixing. With the view of solving this question, other two portions of 
blood were taken, and while to one a small quantity of quicksilver was added, the other 
