The reaction of the blood in epilepsy.

Abstract

The hydrogen ion concentration of the blood in epilepsy has been determined in thirty-eight cases. In order to be able to ascertain the significance of any changes found, we have also studied the hydrogen ion concentration in the blood of twenty-eight normal individuals. In conjunction with the work of Hastings and Cullen, who have also made a certain number of observations on the pH of normal individuals, we find that the range for the latter is from 7.36 to 7.43. In contrast to this we find that the blood of treated and untreated epileptics ranges from 7.25 to 7.50. The blood of any given case of epilepsy shows a wider range of blood reaction than does the blood of a given normal individual. Chart No. 1 illustrates the extent of the range of blood pH determination in all the cases of epilepsy studied as contrasted with the range of variation observed in all the normal individuals studied. One case of hysteria, three cases of migraine and three cases of Jacksonian epilepsy, and one unclassified case show a range of blood hydrogen ion concentration which is similar to the range observed in normal people.