STUDIES ON THE INTRA-OCULAR FLUIDS: Part 4 The Dialysation of Aqueous Humour against Plasma

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Abstract
The aqueous humor and the blood plasma are not in thermodynamic equilibrium. This was shown by dialyzing the one against the other. R Cl, i.e., the ratio of the chloride concn. of the plasma over that of the aqueous, changes from a mean value of 0.911 before dialysis to one of 0.979 after dialysis. Similarly RNa changes from 1.036 to 1.057. This movement of Na and Cl from aqueous to plasma on dialysis is associated with an increase in the electrical resistance of the aqueous and a decrease in the electrical resistance of the plasma after dialysis. It appears that energy is expended in the transfer of Na and Cl from the plasma to the aqueous, and, therefore, that a process of secretion exists. The aqueous humor which is formed immediately after paracentesis is in close approximation to equilibrium with plasma in respect to Cl and Na. It appears that the normal blood-aqueous barrier is temporarily disrupted and a direct transudation takes place.