HAEMOLYSIS 317 



ledge of this is necessary if one is to explain the partition of 

 diffusible non-eleetrolytes between the disperse phases of plasma 

 and corpuscle which have been found by experiment. For 

 example, if it were found that the partition of urea between 

 corpuscle and plasma corresponded to the relative magnitudes of 

 the continuous phase in those two bodies, then the conclusion 

 could be drawn that the urea was in solution only in the dispersion 

 media. On the other hand, if one found that the ratio of con- 

 centration of a substance in corpuscle to its concentration in 

 plasma were greater or less than the ratio between the volumes 

 of the continuous phases in corpuscle and plasma, then some of the 

 substance must be adsorbed to or soluble in the disperse phase of 

 one of the systems. Various values have been obtained for the 

 volume of the disperse phase in the corpuscle, ranging from 

 33 to 65 per cent. The reason for this wide variation is to be 

 sought in the methods employed in the investigation. The larger 

 values are obtained w^hen a haematocrite {q.v.) or other apparatus 

 depending on centrifugal force is used. If sedimentation is not 

 complete, and it very seldom is, high values are obtained for the 

 volume of the red cells. Ege's method is simple and ingenious, 

 and depends on the determination of differences in the depression 

 of the freezing point {q.v.) of solutions of non-electrolyte in equal 

 volumes of water and of red corpuscle press-juice. For example, 



if the A of 8 grams of cane sugar in water = 1-22° C. 

 and of 8 grams of cane sugar in press-juice = 1-81° C. 



(allowance having been made for the A of the press-juice alone) 

 then the volume (D.P.v.) of the disperse phase of the corpuscular 

 juice w'ould be found from the equation : 



(100 —D.P.v.) X 1-81 = 100 X 1-22 



122 



100 —D.P.v. = = 67 = continuous phase 



1-81 



.'. volume of disperse phase = 33 per cent. 



It is inferred that the dispersed phase consists almost wholly of 

 water in haemoglobin in a continuous phase of cell-globulin ^ in 

 water, both phases being enclosed in a membrane composed of 

 protein, lecithin and other phosphatides, cholesterol, etc. 



Haemolysis. 



As the haemoglobin is held in the corpuscle in a state in which 

 it is more concentrated than it could possibly l)e when in solution, 

 the process of putting it into solution ought to alter some of the 

 physical characters of blood. Blood diluted wdth an isotonic 



