The Microscope. 6T 



neurine was removed, hence they travel with friction through 

 the blood vessels and adhere together. 2. White corpuscles. 

 They are apt to be too numerous, enlarged in size and filled with 

 granules, which may or may not be salts in granular form, as 

 the blood in rheumatism contains more saline bodies than nor- 

 mal. They also adhere to each other or foreign bodies and are 

 found in thrombi and emboli. 3. Serum. After the blood has 

 been a short time on the stage the serum will become filled 

 with: (A). Fibrin filaments in network in the small meshes 

 and strong threads, while in healthy blood the meshes are large 

 and the threads so subtile and minute as almost to elude obser- 

 vation, like the outside hyaline carapace of a Stephanoceros. 

 These same small meshes and strong-threaded fibrin filaments 

 are seen in consumptive blood, and are due to a rheumatic com- 

 plication. (B). Fibrin filaments in larger threads, ribbons and 

 skeins. These are very marked at times in size and length. 

 They oftentimes form skeins of considerable size and length. 

 When long and narrow they will run through two or more fields 

 of the microscope. Often they are of such transparency as to 

 be almost overlooked, but usually they are of a white color, ap- 

 pearing like strings of fibrin in the blood, which they really are. 

 When the red corpuscles crowd around them as crystals of 

 sugar about a string in syrup, and a ridge is seen of* unusual 

 prominence, length, twists and curves, then a curl of fibrin fila- 

 ments is usually found to be the basis of the configuration. 

 Sometimes the skeins are inextricably coiled and curled up. 

 Sometimes they are free like a lock of combed hair. Sometimes 

 the skeins are very numerous, in which case embolism is to be 

 feared. Sometimes they are few and isolated. Their uneven- 

 ness and transparent snowy whiteness are usually enough to 

 diagnosticate them from the mycelial filaments found in the 

 blood, and which belong to the vegetable kingdom. The}^ are 

 found during pregnancy, and I have no doubt become a serious 

 complication in some cases. Nature will clear them out of the 

 blood if she has a chance to do it. (C). Fibrin filaments in 

 thrombi that become emboli. These are found simple when you 

 can readily trace the filament curled up on itself many times 

 and retaining its cylindrical character. Or the mass is made up 

 of the filaments with their body substance melted or fused to- 



