178 
J. CAMPBELL. 
cipal agent and chlorine the secondary, these two gases being 
the only active agents' in the compound. 
One pound of oxychlorine is equivalent to about 48 gallons 
of pure oxygen. In an indolent ulcer such as I have described, 
you can readily understand why there is a deficiency in the sup¬ 
ply of oxygen at the ulcer ; this deficiency can be closely ap¬ 
proximated by noting the extent of the indurated mass sur¬ 
rounding the ulcer, and the consistency of the induration. If 
the induration be firm and resisting, the result will be that the 
circulation will be largely impeded, or, in other words, the cir¬ 
culation will be impeded in direct ratio to the density of the in¬ 
durated mass. Again, remember that the indurated tissue re¬ 
quires just so much oxygen for its sustenance and support as it 
would require under normal conditions; also that the amount 
of carbon dioxide given up to the blood will be the same as the 
amount given up to a full circulation. Now, for the sake of 
argument, suppose that we assume that the indurated mass sur¬ 
rounding the ulcer is sufficiently dense to retard the circulation, 
say 20% ; that would leave 80% of the normal supply to do all 
the work that is required from a full supply ; again, supposing 
the indurated mass was equal in weight to one pound of the 
economy ; this one pound of tissue is only receiving a 4-5 sup¬ 
ply of blood, yet it is required to give up as much oxygen from 
the blood to the tissues as would be called for from a full sup¬ 
ply, and also the amount of carbon dioxide taken up by the re¬ 
duced supply will be equivalent to what would be taken up by 
the normal circulation ; this being true, you can readily see 
why the blood when it arrives at the ulcer only contains about 
one-half of its normal supply of oxygen, thus largely increasing 
the proportion of carbon dioxide to oxygen in the blood. 
The proportion of 1 to 4 has been fixed by nature as the 
limit, or about the limit, at which the reparative process can 
take place ; and it is also an established law of nature that oxy¬ 
gen is absolutely necessary to the work of assimilation, and is 
the only agent that can bring about and consummate the repar¬ 
ative process ; believing this, our course of treatment becomes 
