VITAL GROWTH AND CRYSTALLIZATION 23 



evaporate in exactly the same manner. Figure 8 shows 

 how these traces of blood change the picture presented by 

 the salt crystals. Three different salts were used: a copper 

 salt, a magnesium salt, and a lead salt; each with and with- 

 out the addition of blood. Without an addition the salts 

 crystallize in an irregular manner, the one differing from the 

 other ; but the addition of traces of blood changes the picture 

 in every instance to produce almost identical pictures, al- 

 though different salts are present. This normal "blood 

 picture" shows clear-cut, straight, fine lines all radiating 

 from one point of the plate. 



This normal picture is obtained relatively rarely after addition of human 

 blood. The "blood picture" of various people may differ considerably. 

 The simplest variation is that in which the crystals radiating from a center 

 are not fully developed up to the margin. At a certain distance the dense 

 rays cease; a delicate network of a thin layer of crystals is formed as a 

 margin. Or there arise encrusted areas or gaps, resembling the controls 

 without addition. This means that the formative force of the added blood 

 is deficient or fails to work entirely. Another change is the appearance of 

 several centers. . . . The normal blood picture is obtained only from men 

 who feel perfectly fine. . . . The same case which had once given an entirely 

 normal blood picture may exhibit a completely different blood picture 

 several months later during an attack of fever. 



Now we approached several physicians for a systematic cooperation 

 and obtained from them definitely diagnosed cases for investigation. . . . 

 It appeared that various very typical deformations of the normal blood 

 picture can be correlated with various diseases. . . . Cases appeared in 

 which the pictures were at first contradictory or not readily accessible to 

 interpretation; here a finer differentiation was necessary. (Quoted from 

 E. Pfeiffer, Sensitive Crystallization Processes, a Demonstration of Forma- 

 tive Forces in Blood, London 1936, Rudolph Steiner Publishing Co.) 



It is evident therefore that considerable difficulties are 

 involved in the practical application of Pfeiffer's method to 

 medicine. The entire method is a research problem at pres- 

 ent not as yet bearing the endorsement of the medical and 

 scientific professions. 



Technical details cannot be discussed here in detail but 

 some of them can be found in Pfeiffer's publication by all 

 those who are interested in this line of development. 



