GASOMETRIC DETERMINATION OF THE OXYGEN 
AND HEMOGLOBIN OF BLOOD. 
By DONALD D. VAN SLYKE. 
(From the Hospital of The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research.) 
(Received for publication, November 30, 1917.) 
The apparatus described in a previous paper’ for determining 
the carbonic acid content of plasma may be used with equal 
facility for determining the oxygen content and the oxygen- 
binding capacity (hemoglobin) of blood. 
For determination of the oxygen capacity as a measure of the 
hemoglobin 3 or more cc. of blood are introduced into a sepa- 
ratory funnel or bottle and distributed in a thin layer about the 
inner wall, so that maximum contact with the air and complete 
saturation of the hemoglobin with oxygen are assured. The vessel 
is rotated for a few minutes so that the blood is kept in a thin 
layer, or it may be shaken for 15 minutes or longer on a mechani- 
cal shaker. ‘The saturated blood is transferred to a heavy test- 
tube or cylinder. 
The blood gas apparatus is now prepared by introducing into 
it five drops of redistilled caprylic alcohol and 6 cc. of ammonia 
solution made by diluting 4 cc. of concentrated ammonia to a 
liter. If saponin powder is available, as much is added to the 
6 cc. of ammonia while in the cup of the apparatus as will stick 
to the end of a glass rod. After the ammonia has been intro- 
duced into the 50 cc. chamber of the apparatus the latter is 
evacuated in the manner described in the previous article, and 
the air is extracted from the ammonia solution by shaking for 
about 15 seconds. The extracted air is expelled, and the extrac- 
tion completed to make sure that no air is Jeft in the solution. 
Finally, about 2 cc. of the air-free ammonia are forced up into the 
cup of the apparatus. 
The aerated blood is now thoroughly stirred with a rod to 
1 Van Slyke, D.-D., J. Biol. Chem., 1917, xxx, 347. 
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