900 
Physiology. — “Mibrin-excretion under the influence of an electric 
current.” By E. Hexma. (Communicated by Prof. H. J. 
HAMBURGER). 
(Comraunicated in the meeting of October 28, 1916.) 
Blood-elotting is based as we know upon the formation of a fibrin- 
gel. The gel or clotted substance obtained by adding blood-serum 
to a transsudate or to fluid blood-plasm free from elements formed, 
is likewise generally looked upon as fibrin. These fibrin clottings 
have until lately been considered as irreversible gels. Wrongly so, how- 
ever, as my experiments showed. The fibrin-gel formed in the above 
mentioned way is indeed entirely insoluble in pure water, but by 
means of traces of alkal or acid it may be brought into a sole- 
state again, under the formation of optically empty fibrin-alkali- and 
acidhydrosoles. From these soles the fibrin may be excreted again 
with its properties unmodified. As regards the fibrinalkalihydrosoles 
it may for instance be done by weak acid (neutralisation), as regards 
the fibrinacidbydrosoles by weak alkali (neutralisation), while in both 
soles a number of reagents e.g. bloodserum, saturated neutralsalt 
solutions etc. effected an excretion of fibrin. 
Further I have observed that the electric current also possesses 
this property. Both in artificial and in natural tibrinalkalihydrosoles 
(bloodplasm, transsudate) and likewise in fibrinacidhydrosoles an 
electric current may effect an excretion of fibrin. In the latter case 
the fibrin is formed at the negative, in the first two cases at the 
positive electrode. 
For the experiments in question the fluid-to be investigated was 
put into a U-shaped tube into the legs of which thin platinum elec- 
trodes were inserted (broad 4 ¢.m.). As a rule the current was 
supplied by two accumulators. 
In an artificial fibrinalkalibydrosole this experiment produces 
after some time a slight formation at the positive electrode, whilst 
after some hours a considerable clot has been formed round this 
electrode. x 
The fluid in the leg of the U-tube with the negative electrode 
remains Clear; the only thing observable in it being the formation 
of gas beads. If the experiment is made with a weak fibrinalkali- 
dL 
hydrosole prepared with a very weak alkali (cx ag NaOH) a jelly 
J 
like, filmy substance settles as a rule on the anode, which substance 
contains a great number of gas-beads and from ‘whence thin fibres 
