384 PROFESSOR ARTHUR BOETTCHER. 



formative influence on the coin]jaratively thick cortical layer, or 

 that, as the drawings in fig. 3 actually show, the protoplasm has 

 become collected on the one and the cortical layer on the other 

 side of the blood-corpuscle, and that in this case also, because 

 the processes radiate into a layer of cortical substance of con- 

 siderable thickness, the latter does not accommodate itself to the 

 shape of the former, in spite of their length. Finally, it is 

 necessary to take into consideration the circumstance that the 

 amount of protoplasm varies much in individual blood-corpuscles, 

 and that in proportion as it diminishes the homogeneous sub- 

 stance increases in quantity. I have already shown this by 

 another method, both in the blood-corpuscles of amphibia and in 

 those of mammalia {' Virchow's Archiv,^ vol. xxxvi, pp. 367 and 

 377). The same difi'erences which are there mentioned are met 

 with in the treatment of red blood- corpuscles by an alcoholic 

 solution of corrosive sublimate. 



Although clearly visible in many blood-corpuscles, the sphere 

 of protoplasm is in others equally invisible. The blood-corpuscles 

 remain after decoloration, and in spite of staining with carmine 

 quite homogeneous, even when they are not spherical, but per- 

 fectly flat (fig. 1, a, h, c). Although it may be concluded from 

 this that these blood-corpuscles enclose very little or no proto- 

 plasm, minute investigation enables us to bring forward a stronger 

 proof of the accuracy of this supposition. 



Amongst a large number of blood-corpuscles submitted to 

 examination some will always be found in which the nucleus 

 with its sharply marked outline is perceived within the homo- 

 geneous substance, but no granular protoplasm can be seen in its 

 vicinity (fig. 6) . If in these blood-corpuscles any protoplasm 

 were present, it must be easily recognised, especially after stain- 

 ing with carmine, as in fig. 4, for it appears scarcely possible 

 that where the more deeply situated and less perceptible nucleus 

 with its circular outline is visible, the more easily distinguished 

 layer of protoplasm surrounding it could remain hidden. In the 

 nuclei of these perfectly homogeneous forms I have sometimes 

 found a nucleolus present (fig. 6, a) ; at other times it was 

 absent (d). 



Before concluding my communication on the human blood- 

 corpuscles I have to report a case of poisoning hy corrodve 

 subiimate, in which I was able to examine the blood immediately 

 after the post-mortem examination. The porter of the Patho- 

 logical Institution took a large draught of the alcoholic solution 

 of corrosive sublimate in question, and died from the effects of 

 it on the fourth day. Although the autopsy did not take place 

 till thirty-six hours after death, the body presented no perceptible 

 signs of decomposition. It is necessary to enter here into the 



