30 EXPERIMENTS ON THE CIRCULATION 



The lymph found in the bladder, in one of these 

 experiments (No. 4), was beautifully clear and pel- 

 lucid. It was semi-fluid when first examined, but 

 coagulated more firmly on exposure to the air. 



I am not aware that any other instance is recorded 

 of the effusion of coagulating lymph, as the conse- 

 quence of simple compression of the blood from 

 venous obstruction. The quantity was so consider- 

 able, in this case, and the manifestation of its pecu- 

 liar properties so decided, that there was not the 

 least room for doubt. The physical condition of 

 the blood in the vessels of this kidney must have 

 been that of a fluid subjected to a continued mode- 

 rate pressure : for, in consequence of a slight lace- 

 ration of the vein, the blood could not be compressed 

 beyond a certain degree, as it would then tend to 

 ooze through the lateral opening. I have not suc- 

 ceeded in obtaining so much lymph in any subse- 

 quent experiment. It must ever be a very difficult 

 point so to adjust the obstruction to the amount of 

 impulse of the arterial blood as to maintain the re- 

 quisite degree of compression, and no more, for a 

 sufficient length of time. The two succeeding ex- 

 periments confirm the accuracy of the explanation 

 just given : for in them the vein, being first tied 

 tightly, was then punctured on the renal side of the 

 ligature, so that a small jet of blood escaped. The 

 organ being returned while in this condition, and 

 the urine examined, at the end of an hour, both 

 fibrinous and bloody coagula were found suspended 

 in it. I think it not improbable that the blood, in 

 these instances, escaped during the short intcrv;il 



