Surface tension of serum

Abstract

Resume: The surface tension IS a factor of enormous biological importance, especially for the phenomena of haemo- and bacteriolysis, phagocytosis and enzyme reactions. The surface tension of serum of horses suffering from horse-sickness is subnormal. Infusion of homogeneous blood and considerable loss of blood have an influence on the surface tension of horse serum. The alkalinity of the serum guarantees a certain height and probably stability of the value of surface tension, but this latter one increases not proportionally with an increase of the hydroxylion-concentration; there is a certain optimum (perhaps two optima), and when this is surpassed the tension decreases again. The anions SO4, Cl, NO3 increase the surface tension of neutral gelatine in exactly the same the kations Na, K, Mg Ca nearly in the same order in which the capillarity of water is increased by them. The order of influence of the Na-anions N03, CI, S04 on gelatine is reversed as soon as the reaction is changed. The degree of influence of these ions is much higher in the acid than in the alkaline gelatine. The surface tension of neutral gelatine (and neutral serum) is increased by the OR and decreased by the R-ion.