PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL AGENTS UPON BLOOD. 
713 
No. 54. — In 100 parts of air. 
Oxygen . . . 
Carbonic acid . 
Nitrogen . . 
1 2-05} T ° tal oxygen 16 ' 77 
83-23 
Morphine. 
To the fourth portion of the same blood 0-005 gramme of morphine dissolved in water 
acidulated with hydrochloric acid was added, and the result was as follows : — 
No. 55. — In 100 parts of air. 
Oxygen . . . 
Carbonic acid . 
Nitrogen . . 
17 J 7 J.Total oxygen 18-17 
81-83 
It is thus seen that these different substances, Brucine, Quinine, and Morphine, with 
hydrochloric acid as their solvent, have all acted on the blood in the same manner, 
retarding oxidation, and decreasing the exhalation of carbonic acid, but in very different 
degrees. By placing them in a tabular form, the difference in their respective results 
will be still better appreciated. 
Oxygen. 
Carbonic acid. 
Nitrogen. 
Vol. at 0° C. and 
1 metre pressure. 
In 100 parts of air: — 
After being acted on by pure blood 
6-64 
3-47 
89-89 
10-11 
Ditto by blood plus brucine 
11-63 
2-34 
86-03 
13-97 
„ „ quinine 
14-72 
2-05 
83-23 
16-77 
„ „ morphine 
17-17 
1-00 
81-83 
18-17 
Composition of atmospheric air employed \ 
in the experiments J 
20-96 
0-002 
79*038 
20-962 
It ought not to be forgotten that the blood in all of these cases was not only taken 
from the same animal, and the product of one bleeding, but in every respect, both before 
and after being put into the receivers, subjected to precisely similar influences, under 
identical conditions. The difference in the results must therefore be regarded as entirely 
due to the effect of the alkaloids upon the blood. 
Action of Anesthetics on Blood. 
Chloroform. 
From the fact that of all anaesthetics at present employed chloroform holds the first 
rank, its action upon blood was carefully studied. The results obtained were exceedingly 
uniform and all tending to one conclusion, namely, that this substance has a powerful 
effect in retarding those chemical transformations and decompositions upon which the 
process of respiration depends. 
1st. As regards the visible effect of chloroform upon blood. 
If 5 per cent, of pure chloroform be mixed with the freshly-drawn blood of a healthy 
5 f 2 
