Effects of Anesthetics on Osmotic Resistance of Erythrocytes: I. Ether and Chloroform.

Abstract

Widely conflicting opinion exists with regard to the effect of anesthetics on the resistance of red blood cells to hypotonic saline solutions. Since little of this is based on quantitative data, it was thought worth while to restudy the problem, using the quantitative method introduced by Simmel,1 in which actual count is made of the number of cells remaining after uniform periods of contact with different grades of hypotonic solutions. The results are conveniently expressed as percentages of the total number of erythrocytes per cubic millimeter, where Hayem's solution has been used as the diluent. The normal variations likely to be encountered by this method have been studied by Leake and Pratt.2Dogs were used in all experiments. Blood was drawn by syringe from the femoral artery, through the intact skin. Ether or chloroform was administered by the drop method, and further samples of blood were drawn at various intervals up to one hour after the induction of the surgical stage of anesthesia. These were p...