The pH and the CO2 Content of Cerebrospinal Fluid in Epilepsy.

Abstract

Although considerable work has been done on the acid-base relationships in epilepsy, the evidence presented thus far has been conflicting and indecisive. Because of the importance of this phase of the problem, we have determined the pH and CO2 content of the cerebrospinal fluid in 125 epileptics and 30 non-epileptic control subjects by procedures which eliminate errors due to loss of CO2.1, 2The colorimetric method of McQuarrie and Shohl1 used for determining the pH may be briefly described as follows: The clear fluid is drawn into a special glass sampling burette over clean mercury after all air in the connecting tubes has been eliminated by means of a 3-way stop-cock. In preparation for taking the sample a number of tenths of a cc. of 0.0075% phenol red equal to the number of cc. of fluid to be taken is measured into the apparatus. After the spinal fluid is mixed with the dye in this concentration, it is read directly at 38°C. against the bicolor standards of Hastings and Sendroy in a simple comparator ...