THE CARBON DIOXIDE CAPACITY OF THE BODY AND THE RATE AT WHICH THE BODY COMES INTO EQUILIBRIUM WITH CHANGES IN THE ALVEOLAR CARBON DIOXIDE TENSION

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Abstract
In 10 experiments cats were made to breathe from a gas mixture containing about 11% CO2 until equilibrium had been established at a level which was about 54 mm. Hg above the normal. During the return to the normal level, while the cat breathed outdoor air, the expired air was collected, and the CO2 which was in excess of that produced by oxida-tion during the collection period represented that which had been retained by the body as a result of the pre-vious saturation to a higher C02 level. One kgm. of cats'' blood, within the CO2 tension limits of these experiments, will retain about 3.2 cc. CO2 per mm. of Hg tension difference, while the entire body under the same conditions will retain about 1.78 cc. CO2. The CO2 retained by the blood alone was 10.5% of that retained by the entire body. On the assumption that the body is 70% water by weight and that the CO2 retained by the body is held by the water of the body, the authors esti-mate that 1 kgm. of tissue fluid, exclusive of the blood,-wili retain an average of 2.49 cc. CO2 per mm. tension difference. In 30% of their experiments the buffering capacity of the tissue fluids was equal to or greater than that of the blood. It requires 45-140 min., with an average value of 102 min., for the body of the cat to come into equilibrium with a change in the alveolar CO2 tension.

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