NOTES ON THE APPLICATION OF THE HERSCH GALVANIC OXYGEN CELL TO MEASUREMENT OF BLOOD OXYGEN CONTENT AND TENSION

Abstract

A number of galvanic oxygen cells have been built to the design of Hersch (1). Factors influencing the sensitivity of this type of cell to oxygen have been studied, and the potentialities of the cells in the analysis of small gas samples have been explored. With the cell used in the manner described, analysis of 105 samples of air of an average volume of 0.001 ml showed the standard deviation of the percentage of oxygen to be 0.9%. The mean oxygen percentage of these samples was correct at 20.8%. These cells were found to be suitable for the analysis of the oxygen contained in very small blood samples, and the method described probably offers the most precise technique there is for the determination of the oxygen saturation of 0.002 ml of blood. By bubble equilibration techniques, the cell may also be used to determine the oxygen tension of blood samples in the range 0–200 mm Hg.