CLINICAL STUDIES ON ACID BASE EQUILIBRIUM AND THE NATURE OF ACIDOSIS

Abstract

It is the purpose of this paper to present experimental evidence in favor of the view that varying grades of acidosis may exist, apart from diabetes and case in which beta-oxybutyric acid is produced, in many pathological conditions not previously suspected. In health and in most diseases the very slightly alkaline reaction of the blood and body tissues is now known to remain practically constant.¹ Walter,² long ago, showed that when an animal is killed by injecting an acid into the blood-stream, the blood apparently still remains alkaline. In disease, slight variations of reaction may occur, but death soon ensues if the change, as determined by the most accurate measurements, is appreciable.³ In human pathology any change is always toward acidity. Such are the main facts regarding the variation of reaction of the blood. In the body there is a constant production of acid substances as excretory