356 



Dr. Thomson's Chemical Analxjsis 



The following Table will show the proportions of the con- 

 stituents on the supposition that the water in each amounts 

 to 100. 



Water 



Albumen 



Fibrin 



Colouring matter, with al- 1 



bumen j 



Salts 



Healthy 

 Blood. 



100 

 10-79 

 5-67 



9-42 



1-65 



Cholera Blood. 



No. 1. 



100 



7-34. 

 0-57 



41-51 



1-81 



127-53 151-23 147-1 



No. 4. 



100 

 9-28 

 1-97 



34-08 



1-85 



We see that the albumen is less abundant in the cholera 

 blood than in healthy blood. But probably this excess in 

 healthy blood is more apparent than real. It is not in our 

 power to free the crassamentum completely from the serum. 

 In my experiments the crassamentum was simply left on a 

 cloth till all the serum that would drop out had separated. 

 It is clear that by this process more serum would be left than 

 if the crassamentum had been dried on blotting-paper. Now 

 this portion of serum would contain albumen, which would be 

 added to the colouring matter, and would have the effect of 

 apparently increasing its quantity. How far the quantity of 

 albumen wanting to make up the quantity in healthy bloqd, 

 amounting in No. 1. to 3-45, and in No. 4. to 1-51, may be 

 accounted for by this circumstance, it would be hazardous to 

 conjecture ; but certainly no inconsiderable portion of it must 

 be owing to this circumstance. 



The deficiency of fibrin in cholera blood is very remark- 

 able, and struck me very forcibly. The fibrin in the cholera 

 blood No. 1. is only about y^th of that in healthy blood : the 

 quantity in the blood No. 4. is nearly four times as great ; but 

 it is still only about the third of the quantity which exists in 

 healthy blood. 



In almost all cases a polypus is found in the heart of those 

 who have died of cholera : this polypus has a buff colour, and 

 consists of pure fibrous fibrin. Dried artificially it assumes a 

 reddish colour, as happens to fibrin in general. One of these 

 polypi, which I freed from colouring matter by washing, 

 weighed after being dried in a heat not exceeding 200°, 22-12 

 grains. It would appear from this, that fibrin is disposed to leave 



the 



