380 
removal of the containing wall of the semifluid zooid. Se- 
condly, they seem to demonstrate that there are at least two 
constituents of the nucleus, the one precipitable by acids, 
probably paraglobulin, which passes out into the body of the 
corpuscle under the influence of the alkaline gas, whilst the 
second (possibly the mucin which Dr. Brunton has shown 
reason to believe is a constituent of the nuclei) remains, and 
is not precipitable by acetic acid. I am conscious that the 
action of ammonia, which I have described, deserves to be 
investigated in a more methodical manner, and I draw atten- 
tion to it on that account. 
On the human blood-corpuscle ammonia has the same 
action as on that of the frog, excepting such phenomena as 
concern the nucleus. A fluidity (due as it seems to me to 
a solution of the wall or pellicle of the corpuscle) is produced by 
very weak ammoniacal vapour, resulting in the production of 
long threads or processes from the corpuscles, and the separa- 
tion of minute particles from them, as in the case of the frog 
(fig. 20). 
Acetic acid vapour admitted to human corpuscles after the 
action of weak ammoniacal vapour gave no granulation of the 
corpuscles, but the fine thread-like processes were rendered 
more distinct, and some corpuscles exhibited pullulations 
like those produced by tannin in Dr. Roberts’ experiments 
(fig. 21 8, c). ” 
In speaking of the action of magenta dye below I shall 
refer to its action after the corpuscles have been acted upon 
by ammonia, 
14. Effect of chloroform.—Chloroform or ether being so 
generally used for separating the hemoglobin of the red 
corpuscles from their stroma, it seemed to me to be interesting 
to examine carefully the steps of its action. Bottscher, 
Schweigger-Seidel, and Schmidt have noticed in their papers 
the fact of the removal of the colouring matter and the 
survival of a colourless stroma having the form of the original 
corpuscle. By the use of the gas chamber and the method of 
suction I have watched the process more closely. 
When frog’s red-corpuscles are submitted in the gas 
chamber to an increasing quantity of chloroform vapour, I 
have observed the following series of phenomena. 
The first change noticeable is a very fine plication or 
wrinkling of the whole surface of the corpuscle (fig. 15 a), as 
though a delicate membrane were being caused to contract. 
Then an angular form is assumed by the corpuscle (figs. 16 a, 
15 6), generally hexagonal, but sometimes diamond-shaped. 
I cannot refrain from pointing out the resemblance of these 
. 
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