102 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



Mr. Groves preferred blowing through a pipette upon the specimen 

 for cleaning it, to using the camel's-hair pencil. 



Mr. Atkinson, in reply, had found the carmine solution diluted 

 seven times with water too weak. He thought rosaniline not a per- 

 manent colour. In his carmine solution he retained as much ammonia 

 free as possible, while spring-clips he thought useful in dislodging air- 

 bubbles. 



Dr. Osier then read a paper upon " The Action of certain Ee- 

 agents — Atropia, Physostigma, and Curare — on the Colourless Blood 

 Corpuscles." 



The reagents made use of were, a fresh solution of sulphate of 

 atropia, a fresh solution of suljihate of physostigma, 1 per cent, strength, 

 and a rather stronger solution of curare ; a ^ per cent, saline solution was 

 used to dissolve them. In the case of newt's or frog's blood, about 

 four times as much reagent as blood was made use of, while for human 

 blood the proportion of reagent to blood was 5 : 1. The specimens 

 were examined on a Strieker's stage at a temperature of 39*^ C. The 

 experiments were undertaken to show, if possible, in the corpuscles 

 the antagonism between the reagents, which had been already demon- 

 strated by Dr. Fraser. 



A solution of 1 part of sulphate of atropia to 2000 of water allows 

 the normal amoeboid movements of the corpuscles, while a 1 to 3 per 

 cent, solution definitely alters the form and structure of their pro- 

 cesses ; for it is in these that the changes noticed lie. Generally in 

 about ten minutes the corpuscle is seen to throw out processes, bud- 

 like, long and thin, or tuberous ; the number of processes being indi- 

 rectly as their size, while the outline of the corj)uscles may change 

 two or three times in a minute. Sometimes the processes are re- 

 tracted, but not always, and they may remain without any change 

 of shape, while some corpiiscles in the field never alter nor move at 

 all : all, however, retain their spherical form. The processes are 

 mostly hyaline, but sometimes granular, and have a sharply-defined 

 line where they join the body of the corpuscle ; a fusion of the 

 granules they contain may restore their original transj)arency. The 

 phenomena described do not always occur upon the addition of the 

 reagent, being sometimes more evident than at others. 



A number of experiments were here narrated in detail, but of 

 which it is impossible to give an abstract, showing the action of 

 atropine on the corpuscles ; but the resiilt was to the effect that all 

 motion ceased in the corpuscles, on the ajiplication of the reagent, 

 sooner in the blood of the newt and frog than in that of man, and 

 sooner also the stronger the solution used. 



The blood of frogs and newts poisoned with atropine showed 

 normal amoeboid movements without any modification whatever. 



The action of physostigma is somewhat different. A solution of 

 the strength of 1 to 800 of water allows the normal movements of the 

 white corpuscles. A solution of 1 to 1000 of water stops all motion 

 in two hours ; while one of a strength 1 to 300 of water, all but com- 

 pletely prevents the formation of processes, and causes the movement 

 to be of an undulating and heaving character ; a rather stronger solu- 

 tion produces changes the same as atropia. As a rule, less corijuscles 



