538 OF ABSORPTION AND SANGUIFICATION. 



disproportion between the Corpuscles and the Fibrine, is more strongly marked than in ordi- 

 nary Continued Fever: yet the usual augmentation of Fibrine will take place, if a local in- 

 flammation developes itself. In the Eruptive Fevers, it does not appear that the proportion 

 between the Fibrine and the Corpuscles undergoes so striking a change, as in ordinary Con- 

 tinued Fever; but the number of cases examined was too small to admit of decided conclu- 

 sions. It was evident, however, that the specific Inflammations proper to, and characteristic 

 of, these Fevers, have not the same effect in occasioning an increase of the Fibrine, as an 

 intercurrent Inflammation of an extraneous character. By the experiments of Magendie it 

 has been ascertained that one of the effects of a diminution in the proportion of Fibrine, is a 

 tendency to the occurrence of Hemorrhage or of Congestion, either in the parcnchymatous 

 tissue, or on the surface of membranes: these conditions are well known to be of frequent 

 'occurrence, as complications of febrile disorders. A marked diminution of Fibrine was 

 noticed also in many cases of the disorder termed Cerebral Congestion, which commences 

 with headache, vertigo, and tendency to epistaxis, and not unfrequently passes into corn a 

 and apoplexy. In Apoplexy, the diminution of Fibrine was still more striking ; and in gene- 

 ral, there was found to be an increase of the Corpuscles. In one instance, the quantity of 

 Fibrine on the second day of the attack was found to have fallen to l - 9, whilst that of the 

 Corpuscles had risen to 175'5; but on the third day, when the patient's consciousness began 

 to return the quantity of Fibrine was 3'5, whilst that of the Corpuscles had fallen to 137 7. 

 It would seem from the great change in the character of the Blood, which was noticed in 

 this and in other instances, that the want of due proportion between the Fibrine and the 

 Corpuscles was the cause, rather than the effect, of the Apoplectic attack. 



c. The amount of Red Corpuscles seems to be subject to greater variation within the limits 

 of ordinary health, than is that of Fibrine. In the condition which is ordinarily termed a 

 highly sanguineous temperament, or Plethora, it is chiefly the entire mass of the blood that 

 undergoes an increase; but whatever excess there may be in the proportion of its solid con- 

 stituents, affects the Corpuscles rather than the Fibrine. Plethoric persons are not more 

 prone to Inflammation, than are those of weaker constitution ; but they are liable to Conges- 

 tion, especially of the brain, and to Apoplexy or other Hemorrhage. The effect of Bleeding 

 in diminishing this tendency is now intelligible; since we know that loss of blood reduces 

 the proportion of Corpuscles. On the other hand, in that temperament,* which, when ex- 

 aggerated, becomes Anaemia, there is a marked diminution of the Corpuscles; this tempera- 

 ment may lead to two different conditions of the system. In Chlorosis, the Red Corpuscles 

 are diminished, whilst the Fibrine remains the same; so that the clot, though small, is firm, 

 and not unfrequently exhibits the buffy coat; in some extreme cases of this disease, the Cor- 

 puscles have been found as low as 27. The influence of the remedial administration of 

 Iron, in increasing the quantity of Corpuscles, was rendered extremely perceptible by An- 

 drei's analyses; in one instance, after iron had been taken for a short time, the proportion 

 of Corpuscles was found to have risen from.49'7 to 64-3 ; whilst in another, in which it had 

 been longer continued, it hail risen from 46 - 6 to 95'7. On the other hand, Bleeding reduced 

 still lower the proportion of Corpuscles; thus in one instance, their amount was found, on a 

 second bleeding, to have sunk from G'2'8 to 49. The full proportion of Fibrine in the blood 

 of Chlorotic patients accounts for the infrequency of Hemorrhage in them ; whilst it also 

 leads us to perceive that they may be, equally with others, the subjects of acute Inflamma- 

 tion, which we know to be the fact. A diminution of Corpuscles may also co-e\i.-t with a 

 diminution in the amount, or in the degree of elaboration, of the Fibrine; and this condition 

 seems to be characteristic of Scrofula. Andral has noticed a diminution in the proportion of 

 Corpuscles in other Cachectic states, resulting from the influence of various depressing causes 

 on the nutritive powers; as in the case of Diabetes Mellitus, in which the patient was much 

 exhausted; a case of Aneurismal dilatation of the Heart inducing Dropsy; and in several 

 cases of Cachexia Saturnina. The increase in the proportion of Colourless Corpuscles, in 

 Inflammatory affections, has been particularly noticed by Popp ; he has found them espe- 

 cially abundant in Pneumonia and in Phthisis, in the former of which diseases the Fibrine 

 is invariably, and in the latter generally, increased. 



d. The chief class of cases, in which any marked change has been observed in the 

 amount of solid matter in the Serum, is that of Albuminuria, or Bright'* disease of the Kid- 

 ney. The diminished Specific Gravity of the Serum was long ago pointed out by Dr. (.'Imsti- 

 son; but Andral remarks that this is nut an accurate criterion, since, if there be a diminished 

 amount of Corpuscles (as is not unfreqnently the case in this disease), the proportion of 

 water in the whole will be increased, and the specific gravity of the serum thus lowered, 

 without any alteration in its proper quantity of solid matter. According to Andral, the 

 diminution in the amount of Albumen in the Serum is exactly proportional to the quantity 



* The term lymphatic has been applied to this temperament; by which term was meant 

 a predominance of lymph in the absorbent vessels. 



