BLOOD STUDIES UNDER ANESTHESIA II. CYCLOPROPANE AND ETHYL ETHER

¹ From the Laboratory of Physiological Chemistry, Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

A study has been made of the changes in various constituents of blood and serum in dogs anesthetized for one hour with ether and with cyclopropane, both anesthetics being given in a rebreathing system.

Under both anesthetics, sodium increased slightly, chloride usually decreased and inorganic phosphate rose. The bicarbonate was lowered to about the same extent and the base bound by protein fell. Lactic acid increased but not markedly. Red cells as measured by the hematocrit were augmented by both anesthetics.

After ether the pH was always lowered; after cyclopropane pH might remain unchanged but often decreased to about the same extent as after ether.

Potassium decreased to a greater extent after ether than after cyclopropane.

The CO₂ capacity was usually reduced by ether. A reduction did not always take place after cyclopropane, a slight rise occurring in some cases.

Total base was found to increase in a few determinations made after cyclopropane.

The chief difference in effect of the two anesthetics is the shift in pH, in potassium, CO₂ capacity and perhaps in total base. These differences suggest that the movement of ions in response to ether and to cyclopropane may be dissimilar.