A Study of the Respiration and of the Function of Hæmoglobin inPlanorbis corneusandArenicola marina

Abstract

A study of the respiration and of the function of hæmoglobin inPlanorbis corneusandArenicola marinahas been undertaken.The oxygen consumption of Planorbis is of the order of 0·026 c.c. per gm. per hour, measured at 15° C.The blood volume is approximately 0·581 c.c. per gm.The combined oxygen of the blood is 0·013 c.c. per c.c. of blood, the total oxygen being 0·014 c.c. per c.c. The total oxygen capacity of the blood per gm. of snail is estimated to be 0·0081 c.c.The oxygen supplied by the blood is calculated to last 18 minutes and is found by experiment to last 25 minutes.The snail does not immediately oxidise its hæmoglobin after subjection to anaerobiosis. Oxidation begins after 10 minutes and is complete within 20 minutes.