4 OF THE BLOOD. 



teeth, the body of the crystalline lens, &c. is univer- 

 sally diffused through the system, in various propor- 

 tions, indeed, according to the various natures of the 

 similar parts, to use the language of the ancients,* 

 v. c. abundantly in the muscles and glands, sparingly 

 in the tendons and cartilages.f (A) 



6. The blood is a fluid sui generis, of a well known 

 colour and peculiar odour; its taste is rather saline 

 and nauseous ; its temperature about 96 3 of Fahrenheit ; 

 it is glutinous to the touch ; its specific gravity, though 

 different in different individuals, may be generally esti- 

 mated as 1050, water being 1000 ; when fresh drawn, 

 and received into a vessel, it exhibits the following 

 appearances.]: 



7. At first, especially while still warm, it emits a 

 vapour which has of late been denominated an animal 

 gas and shewn to consist of hydrogen and carbon, sus- 

 pended by caloric. This, if collected, forms drops 



* They divided the body into similar or homogeneous parts, as the bones, 

 cartilages, muscles, tendons, &c. ; and dissimilar, composed of the similar, as 

 the head, trunk, limbs, &c. 



f- Physiologists have variously estimated the quantity of blood in a well 

 formed adult. Allen, Mullen, and Abildgaard, make it scarcely more than 

 8 pounds; Borelli, 20; Haller, 30-, Hamberger, 80; J. Keil, 100. The former 

 are evidently nearer the truth. 



J J. Martin Butt, De spontaitca sanguinis scparatione. Edinb. 1760. 8vo. 

 reprinted in Sandifort's Thesaurus, vol. ii. J. H. L. Bader, Experiment a circa 

 sanguinem. Argent. 1788. 8vo. 



The elements of aeriform fluids of course exist in the blood ; that they are 

 not, however, in the elastic state, as so many physiologists fonnerly believed, 

 was clearly shewn in some experiments made by me during the year 1812, upon 

 other mammalia. I found that a small portion of the purest air infused into the 

 jugular vein, excited palpitations, drowsiness, convulsions ; and if the quantity 

 was rather increased, even death ensued. I have detailed these experiments in 

 the Medic. Biblioth. vol. i. 177. The illustrious Bichat observed the same effects 

 in his experiments. Journal de Santd, fyc. clc Bourdeaux. t. ii. p. 61. 



