Am.  Jour.  Phartu. ) 
November,  1903.  J 
Alkalinity  of  the  Blood. 
505 
As  acids  decompose  the  carbonates  of  the  blood  and  form  car- 
bonic acid  gas,  it  has  been  believed  that  this  gas  decolorizes  oxy- 
hemoglobin, but  experiments  made  by  myself  show  that  this  is  not 
a  fact ;  a  blood  and  water  mixture  subjected  to  the  continuous  flow 
of  carbon  dioxide  gas  for  an  hour  failed  to  modify  the  alkalinity  or 
change  the  color  concentration  in  the  slightest  degree,  hence  this 
gas  in  no  wise  influences  the  uncombined  principles  of  the  plasma, 
which  latter  are  only  neutralized  by  the  direct  action  of  acids. 
Fig.  1. — Hemo-alkalimeter  about  one-half  actual  size.  A.  Alkalimeter  tube, 
B.  Automatic  blood  pipette.  C.  Opening  for  the  admission  of  air.  D.  Cleft 
of  spectroscope,  into  which  the  alkalimeter  tube  is  placed  at  the  point  of  A.  E. 
Cleft  adjustment,  F.  Diaphragm  to  intercept  reflected  light.  G.  Nicol  prism. 
H.  Eye  piece. 
Description  of  Instrument. — The  hemo-alkalimeter  is  made  up  as 
follows :  The  first  part  {Fig.  i,  B)  consists  of  a  glass  stopper  through 
which  passes  an  automatic  capillary  blood  pipette  containing  20 
c.mm.  by  volume  or  15  mgs.  by  weight  (of  normal  blood),  the  ex- 
posed end  of  which  is  ground  to  a  tapering  point.  The  calibre  o 
this  little  tube  remains  the  same  throughout.  It  may  be  remarked 
that  a  thick  glass  is  used  in  the  manufacture  and  presents  the 
