CHAPTER I. 



METHOD EMPLOYED IN ANALYZING TIIE BLOOD. 1 



The blood is a very complex fluid, and owing to the small quantity which, in 

 most cases, can be obtained from the cold-blooded animals, it is difficult to determine 

 all or even a majority of the constituents. 



As, however, but little has been done in the study of the circulating fluid of 

 cold-blooded animals, I deemed it important to ascertain even approximately the 

 relative amounts of its principal constituents. The components of the blood which 

 I have endeavored to determine, are the following, viz : — 



The Water. The Liquor Sanguinis. 

 " Solid Constituents. " Water of Liquor Sanguinis. 



" Solid Portions of the Serum. " Solid Constituents of do. 



" Moist Corpuscles. " Albumen and Extractive Matter. 



" Solid Parts of Moist Corpuscles. " Fibrin. 



" Water of Moist Corpuscles. " Fixed Saline Constituents. 



The following is a brief statement of the method employed in the analysis : — 



(a.) From twenty-five to fifty grains of blood are received into a porcelain capsule, 



previously weighed. 

 {b.) A sp. gr. bottle, containing 100 grs. is filled with blood, if the animal be large 



enough to yield a sufficient quantity for this and other purposes, 

 (c.) The remainder of the blood is received into a porcelain capsule, previously 



weighed, and capable of containing about 500 grs. 

 In the majority of experiments with reptiles, small birds and small mammals, 

 the blood is exhausted in filling the last vessel. 



Treatment of the Portion («). 



The weight of the capsule, with the blood, is carefully ascertained by means of 

 a delicate balance, and subtracting from this the weight of the capsule, there 

 remains the weight of the blood. 



1 Those who wish to investigate this subject further, will find much useful information in Simon's 

 Chemistry of Man, p. 142, Philadelphia, 1846; Lehmann, Lehvbuch der Phys. Chemie (Lehmann's 

 Physiological Chemistry, translated by G. E. Day, and edited by Prof. R. Rogers, Vol. I, pp. 541-648, 

 Philadelphia, 1855); Bowman's Medical Chemistry, pp. 145-194, Philadelphia, 1850. 

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