The Indianapolis journal., 1903-06-21
STARTLES MEDICAL men
NEW THEORY OF HOW BLOOD is
PURIFIED IN HUMAN LUNGS.
California Doctor Says Old Schools
Are Wrong, and that Electricity Is
Controlling Factor in Health.

and lecturer on principles or mediclne at
California Medical College, OF San Fran
cisco. presented a paper which interests
the medical and scientific world, with the
announcement that he has discovered and
demonstrated by experiment that human
blood is purified by electro-chemic action
taking place in the lungs, outside of the
blood stream: and that oxygen of air does
not pass into the blood by osmosis. as is
now the theory of Psychologists.
In part Dr. Atkins said: in the human
lungs two great circulations meet, that
of the blood, and that of the atmosphere.
These circulations, moving in opposite di-
rections, bring together elements which
have mutual electro-chemic attraction,
Under the influence of heat molecular re-
arrangement ensues, and new chemical
union of elements takes place. This ac-
ton, according to the laws of chemistry
produces electro-chemic energy, which
passes to the blood in the capillaries of
the lungs; it also causes change of color in
venous blood through the vitalizing effect
of the charge of energy with it's conse-
quent Encouragement Of molecules.
"In experimenting on venous blood I
have submitted coagulated blood to the ac-
ton of electric currents with the following
results; coagulated blcod was made fluid;
the color was changed and rechanged ac-
cording to the application Of the cleo
trodes.
THE instant a current enters coagulated
venous blood there is great activity among
its elements. They begin to circulate free
ly in the tube, and each moves toward the
point of electrical attraction. Carbon, hy-
drogen and other positive elements collect
at the negative pole of the circuit, while
oxygen and all negative elements, made
free by electrolytic action, collect at the
positive pole. The carboniferous elements
at the negative pole give to blood its dark
venous hue, while those of free oxygen and
other negative elements at the positive pole
give the characteristic scarlet hue to ar
terial blood, clearly proving that electro
chemic action is the cause of change Of
color in the blood.
BASIS OF THEORY.
"All excretions of waste material take
place through glands and ducts of organs,
as in the skin and kidneys, and it seems
unreasonable to consider the lungs an ex-
ception to this general rule of organic life.
1t is estimated that the human lungs throw
off about five hundred grains of carbonif-
erous, decaying animal matter every twen-
ty-four hours.
"It is the office OF venous blood to collect
waste products from the tissues and carry
them to the organs of exit. The excretions
of the lungs represent elements decom-
posed by electrolytic action in the blood
stream, material from the tissues undergo
ing retrograde metamorphosis. In this de-
caying animal matter carbon and hydrogen
form a large percentage. The liberation of
hydrogen from these elements Of decay ex-
plains the presence of watery vapor in ex-
pired air, because hydrogen liberated In
the presence of oxygen always forms wa
ter while the natural excretion of carbon
of the aforementioned elements shows the
origin of carbon found In expired air. Phys
iologists admit that the union Of carbon
and oxygen does not take place in the blood
stream.
1.-The chemical analysis of venous blood
shows more carbon in its composition. than
does that of arterial blood. When COM
pared with inspired air, expired air shows a
gain of carbon In union with oxygen in the
form of carbon dioxide. 1t has been men
toned that the union Of the two does not
take place in the blood stream. and that
it has united in expired air. Here is
the proof that the lungs excrete carbon.
and that the union of the carbon and oxy-
gen must take place In the lungs, outside
of the blood stream, producing the carbon
dioxide of expired air. Therefore, in the
union of hydrogen and oxygen forming
watery vapor, together with the before
mentioned union of excreted carbon and
oxygen of air will be found every mole
cule of atmospheric oxygen which has been
supposed to pass into the blood by osmosis
Oxygen is found chemically combined
with arterial blood. Before oxygen of air
could unite with blood, circulating as it
does in closed system of tubes, it must
be reduced to fluid state. According to
physics, there are but two methods of
reducing gases to fluids; these are by pres
sure or by cooling agencies. neither Of
which conditions exists in the lungs.
1.-The temperature of air averages from
90 to 20 degrees F., while the temperature
of the human lungs is nearly one hundred
degrees F., consequently In the human
lungs we have a cool current Of air meet
ing the resistance of heated surfaces which
forbids osmosis, and the reduction Of a
gas to a fluid, but which favors electro
chemic action between the excreted ele-
ments of the lungs and oxygen of air. Ac-
cording to chemistry under the existing
temperature in the lungs, it would be inn
possible to bring together carbon hydrogen
and oxygen without chemical union. That
such union has taken place in expired air
is admitted by all Psychologists.
MOLECULAR ARRANGEMENT.
1T is a fundamental law of chemistry
that molecular rearrangement with chem
icaI union always produces electro chemic
energy. There are two great sources from
which the human system gains its supply
of electro chemic energy. One is through
the lungs, from the atmosphere: the other
is from the reduction of food elements All
fluids and food elements used in the econ
omy of the human system represent n cer-
tain refined stored energy, which under
electrolytic action Is liberated In the blood
stream. to perform functions in higher or
ganic life. Digestion prepares food ele-
ments to enter the circulation for further
reduction. Chyle does not represent the
final step in the reduction Of food ele-
ments, as these must be reduced to primary
elements before their full amount of stored
energy is released. This liberated energy
appears in the body as heat. work and cleo
trio currents The blood is the physical
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