Miscellanies. 201 
© New Method of Analyzing the Blood, by L. Frcvier, (Ann. de Chim. 
et de Phys. Aug. 1844, p. 506.)—This method is based upon the fact 
pointed out some years ago, that when blood deprived of its fibrine 
was mixed with a solution of a neutral salt and thrown upon a filter, 
scarcely any of the globules passed through. The author has been ena- 
bled to retain all the globules by using a solution of sulphate of soda, 
marking 16° to 18° Baumé; adding two volumes of this solution to one 
volume of blood. 
The blood furnished by bleeding is beat with a small bundle of whale- 
bone switches at the moment that it issues from the vein; the fibrine 
separates and adheres to the switches. The blood is now passed through 
fine linen to collect that portion of the fibrine that does not adhere to the 
whalebone; both portions are added together well washed with water, 
dried at the temperature of boiling water, and weighed; (previous to 
weighing, if it be desired to detach the small quantity of fatty matter 
adhering, digest in ether.) By ascertaining the entire amount of blood 
taken from the patient, we are thus enabled to tell the relative portion of 
fibrine. 
The next step is to take about three ounces of defibrinated blood, di- 
lute it with twice its volume of a solution of sulphate of soda, marking 
16° to 18° Baumé; throw this upon a filter that has been previously 
weighed and moistened with a solution of sulphate of soda. The serum 
filters readily, and is of a yellowish color. ‘The filter cannot be washed 
with cold water, as this dissolves the globules; but hot water of 195° 
Fah. coagulates them, and enables one to accomplish this inthe follow- 
ing manner: take the filter from the funnel and immerse it in a cup of 
boiling water; repeat this two or three times, and all the sulphate of soda 
will be washed away; dry the filter and its contents at about 212°, and 
weigh, 
To separate the albumen from the serum deprived of its globules, heat 
it to ebullition in a capsule. The albumen coagulates ; it is thrown on a 
small piece of fine linen, washed, dried at 212° Fah, and weighed. To 
ascertain the quantity of water in the blood, an ounce of it 1s taken and 
evaporated to dryness in a water bath; the weight of what remains indi- 
cates the relative proportion of water and solid elements. The soluble 
salts of the serum are represented by the difference of the weight of the 
blood employed and the amount of albumen, of water, of fibrine, and of 
globules, directly determined. The following is the result of an analysis 
of blood from a diseased patient : ; 
The blood upon beating furnished for 8 ounces (the quantity taken 
from the patient) 10°4 grains of fibrine. 3 ounces of the blood separa- 
ted from the fibrine, and filtered with sulphate of soda, gave 180 grains 
of globules. The serum ‘filtered from the last by heating, furnished 80 
grains of coagulated albumen. ~ 1 ounce of the original blood evaporated 
Vol, xix, No. 1.—April-June, 1845. 26 
