chemical Researches on the Blood, ^c. 109 



Riinistralion of public justice will be aided, and the verdicts 

 upon these unfortunate cases, rendered quite unexception- 

 able by this discovery. 



I remain, sir, 



Your obedient servant, 



Long Acre, Aug. 10, \iV2. JoS. HuME. 



XXI. Chemical Researches on the Blood, and some other 

 Animal Fluids. By William Thomas Brande, Esq. 

 F.R.S. Communicated to the Society for the Improve' 

 merit of Animal Chemistry, and by them to the Royal 

 Society *. 



SECTION I. 



Introduction, 



In the following pages I shall have the honour of laying 

 before this Society an account of some experiments upon 

 the blood, which were originally undertaken with a view to 

 ascertain the nature of its colouring matter. The difficulties 

 attendant on the analysis of animal substances have ren- 

 dered some of the re?ults less decisive than I could have 

 wished, but I trust that the general conclusions to which 

 they lead, will be deemed of sufficient importance to occupy 

 the time of this body. 



The existence of iron in the blood was first noticed by 

 Menghini f, and its peculiar red colour has been more re- 

 cently attributed to a combination of that metal with phos- 

 phoric acid, by MM. Fourcroy and Vauquelin J. The 

 very slight discoloration occasioned by the addition of in- 

 fusion of galls to a solution of the colouring matter, under 

 circumstances most favourable to the action of that delicate 

 test of iron, first led me to doubt the inferences of these 

 abl« chemists, and subsequent experiments upon the com- 

 binations to which they allude, tended to confirm my 

 suspicion, and induced me to give up no inconsiderable 

 portion of the time which has elapsed since ihe last meet- 

 nig of this Society, to ilie present investigation. 



An examination of the chyle and of lymph, in order to 

 compare their composition with that of the blood, formed 

 kn important part of this inquiry, especially as those fluids 



* From tiie Philosophical Transactions for I8l2, pait i. 

 t Viuceiitius Mcnghinus dp I'errearum Particularum ProgrcMU in San- 

 ^incm. Comment, /lead. ISunon. t. ii. p. 2, pajj. 475. 

 \ SyUifKC del Conn, Chym. vul. viii. 



have 



