1 84 ELEMENTARY BIOLOGY 



The red corpuscles, like the white ones, are really unattached cells. 

 They originate by successive cell divisions of special cells found in 

 the marrow of bones. At first they have a nucleus ; but this soon 

 disappears. Lacking a nucleus, these cells cannot remain alive very 

 long. It has been found that the older corpuscles disintegrate, and 

 their hemoglobin is taken up by the liver and converted into bile.^ 



1 In its chemical composition hemoglobin is somewhat like the chlorophyl 

 of plants. To form either of these pigments, protoplasm must have iron. 

 Iron given as a medicine or tonic is administered to assist in the formation of 

 hemoglobin and red corpuscles. A deficiency in the red corpuscles results in 

 the general weakness and paleness that are characteristic of the condition of 

 the body known as anemia. 



