The absorption of oxygen by the lungs / by J. Haldane and J. L. Smith.

  • John Scott Haldane
Date:
[1897]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The absorption of oxygen by the lungs / by J. Haldane and J. L. Smith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

    11/30 (page 239)
    Table III. Experiments with high percentages of carbonic oxide. Corrected Animal °/o of C'O Temp, of bath Ventilation in litres per minute Duration of experiment in minutes saturation of haemoglobin with CO per cent. Oxygen tension of arterial blood Mouse ■189 25° •372 72 64-8 29-1 9 » •212 25° •435 31 610 38-7 9 9 •204 30° •520 35 66-5 28'9 99 •190 30° •536 40 63-3 31-5 99 •178 30° •577 31 68-2 24 0 99 •215 28° •566 37 66-7 30 2 99 •356 30° •441 30 75-5 32-8 99 •298 28° •320 45 72 0 33-5 >> •337 25° •268 64 78-9 25-5 99 •237 25° •380 38 77-8 [19-4] 99 •264 26° •366 45 84-5 [13-5] 99 •407 27° •240 43 72-7 46-2 99 •532 26° •192 60 83-1 30’4 # >> •526 26° •188 13 87-0 21-8 >> •438 26° •227 47 77-6 36 0 99 •428 26° •226 48 82-2 26-3 99 •232 30° •435 32 75-3 21-8 99 •171 30° •273 33 63-1 28-5 Average 80-3 Grey linnet •194 25° •415 33 63 1 32-4 Bullfinch •119 25° •387 40 51-0 45-0 Grey linnet * •232 — •845 7 55’6 58 0 * Animal died. instances the tension observed was twice as high as that of the inspired air. Another very remarkable fact brought out by these experiments is that, provided the natural fall of body temperature is avoided, the mouse can still live and retain consciousness and the power of creeping about after as much as 84 °/0 of its lnernoglobin has been thrown out of action by saturation with carbonic oxide. It is important to bear this fact in mind in studying the experiments with atmospheres at diminished pressures which arc described below. On the other hand we found that birds were unable to survive after about 60°/o of their htemoglobin had been saturated. They usually became restless, and died suddenly just after some unusual exertion. In the case of men poisoned by gradual absorption of carbonic oxide after explosions in coal mines, the highest saturation observed was 83°/^ (v. Haldane, Report on the causes of death in Colliery Explosions, 1896, p. 40), but in many cases the saturation found was considerably less. 1G PH. XXII.