of the Blood of Cholera Patients. 357 



the blood of cholera patients, either during life, or at least soon 

 after death: 22-12 grains constitute but an inconsiderable 

 portion of the fibrin of the whole blood. If we admit a full- 

 grown individual of the mean size to contain thirty pounds of 

 blood, the whole fibrin in that fluid must amount to 1*7 pound, 

 or 1 1 -900 grains : but it is possible that similar polypi may 

 be contained in the large blood-vessels. This, however, was 

 not verified by dissection ; for the blood contained in the 

 sinuses of the brain in one case was found quite liquid, and 

 did not coagulate ; though it was almost as black as ink. 



The great excess of colouring matter in cholera blood is no 

 less remarkable than the deficiency of fibrin. If we make 

 allowance for the albumen and salts still contained in the 

 colouring matter, and take a mean of the quantity of colouring 

 matter in Nos. 1. and 4, we shall find it to be little short of 

 four times the quantity of colouring matter in healthy blood. 

 Whether this increased quantity of colouring matter may be 

 partially accounted for by any alteration in the fibrin, such as 

 to make it soluble in water, it is impossible to say. But be 

 this as it may, it is obvious that there is a great increase 

 of colouring matter : for the fibrin and colouring matter of 

 healthy blood added together do not amount to so much as 

 one half of the colouring matter in cholera blood. 



From the preceding account of the nature and composition 

 of cholera blood, it is evident that this disease has deranged 

 the functions of the lungs so completely that the blood no 

 longer undergoes the change induced in healthy blood by 

 respiration. Hence it ceases to stimulate the heart; the cir- 

 culation is impeded and finally stopped, and death follows as 

 a necessary consequence. There must exist, therefore, some 

 lesion of the eighth pair of nerves, upon which the function 

 of respiration depends. 



Frora the researches of Dr. Wilson Philip and others, it 

 seems established that when the eighth pair of nerves is cut, 

 the function of respiration is so much impeded that death is 

 speedily induced. But if a current of galvanic electricity be 

 made to pass through the lungs, the function of respiration is 

 renewed, and becomes as perfect as ever, as long as the elec- 

 trical current continues to pass through the lungs. Is it not 

 likely that if a current of galvanic electricity were made to 

 pass through the lungs of those who labour under cholera, 

 it would revive the energy of that indispensable organ, and 

 enable it to induce the requisite change on the blood? The 

 heart would be stimulated, the circulation renewed, and 

 very probably the other organs when supplied with blood in 

 the proper state would begin again to act. Might not the 



kidneys 



