ZOOLOGY. 867 



then, with pincers, of the super6cial coat of the vein above the loop, 

 which held it up, the operator, provided with scissors, divided obliquely 

 the vessel, in the half only of its circumference, so as to form a small 

 opening in the form of a V, the upper part of which was directed to 

 the outer extremity of the vessel. Matters being thus arranged, the 

 assistant, who had received the blood, cleared away, with the nicest 

 care, the globules of air and froth which the syringe contained, and 

 inserted its tube underneath the small valve of the venous coat, which, 

 being raised up by the pincers, formed a sort of funnel for its reception. 

 As the tube was conical in shape, it was sufficient to insert it so deeply 

 into the vein that the coat lapped exactly over its surface, and pre- 

 vented the reflux of the injected liquid. The piston being then gently 

 pressed, the whole contents of the syringe, that is to say, about two 

 hundred grammes of blood, were made to penetrate into the venous S}~s- 

 tem. At the expiration of five minutes, a new injection, similar to tho 

 former, was made, transferring to the vein nearly one hundred and fifty 

 grammes. The little wound on the arm was immediately closed, by 

 means of a bandage. During the course of this operation no particular 

 phenomenon was manifested. The patient, who was, moreover, in a 

 state of absolute insensibility, exhibited no sensation. Her pulse, how- 

 ever, felt from time to time, appeared, after a quarter of an hour, to 

 be a little more firm, a little less quick ; at the same time, the patient 

 made it understood by signs that her respiration was rather less diffi- 

 cult. A week after, the patient was in a favorable condition ; but sub- 

 sequently sank away gradually, and died. 



In regard to this operation, the editor of a foreign medical journal 

 makes the following remarks: "It was in France that the bold 

 attempt of the transfusion first took place. In 16G7, Jean Denis in- 

 fused the blood of an animal into a man's body ; and shortly after- 

 wards, Tardy, who was at the head of the faculty of medicine in Paris, 

 did the same from one man to another. These early efforts were 

 crowned with such entire success, that they brought about the frequent 

 practice of this operation, always a difficult one, and always danger- 

 ous, unless due precautions are taken, and the requisite arrangements 

 made for ensuring its success. It was thus that it was adopted at 

 Paris, with the son of the Swedish minister, who \vas given up by his 

 medical attendants, and in whose intestines mortification had already 

 commenced ; also at Rome, with a man whose constitution was en- 

 tirely broken down. In both these cases death very rapidly ensued. 

 The Chatelet of Paris then thought it a duty to interfere, and by decree 

 of the 17th of April, 16G8, forbid the practice of this operation, unless 

 with the sanction of the faculty, which was not very easily obtained. 

 Thus, after enjoying a repute but little merited, this transfusion fell 

 into neglect equally blamable ; the prejudices of the many, and the 

 timidity of the few, soon told against it ; and at last the wit of Per- 

 rault gave it the finishing stroke. ' It would be rather too droll,' 

 said he. ' that a fellow could change his blood as he changes his 

 shirt.' The operation then was scarcely known, save by the learned, 

 when some experiments, made thirty years ago, by Messrs. Prevost 

 and Dumas, upon animals, again drew the attention of the scientific 



