118 



THE BLOOD. 



other principles, existing as adipose tissue or in granules. 

 Here it is mo]ecularly united with the other elements. 



In accordance with the invariable law, that the organic 

 nitrogenized elements of the body are combined with inor- 

 ganic principles, we find entering into the composition of the 

 blood-corpuscles certain inorganic salts. These all exist in 

 the plasma in about the same proportions as in the cor- 

 puscles. In short, as we shall see when we take up the com- 

 position of the entire blood, the corpuscles differ from the 

 plasma only in the fact that they contain coloring matter and 

 globuline, instead of fibrin and albumen, and that the fat is 

 united with the organic matter instead of being in distinct 

 granules. In all other respects their composition is nearly 

 identical. We can thus appreciate how favorable their con- 

 stitution and situation are for their nutrition at the expense 

 of elements furnished by the plasma. 1 



Development of the Blood- Corpuscles. Yery early in the 

 development of the ovum the blood-vessels appear, consti- 



1 Lehmann gives the following table showing the comparative composition of 

 the corpuscles and plasma ; the organic matters being desiccated. 



1000 parts of Liquor Sanguinis 



contain : 

 Water, . . , . . 902-90 



1000 parts of Blood-Corpuscles 

 contain : 



Water, 688'00 



Solid constituents, 312-00 



Specific Gravity, 1.0885. 



Hematine, 16-75 



Globuline and cell-membrane, 282-22 



Fat, 2-31 



Extractive matters, 2-~60 



Mineral substances (without iron), 812 



Chlorine, 1-680 



Sulphuric Acid, 0-066 



Phosphoric Acid, 1-184 



Potassium, 8-328 



Sodium, ,. 1-052 



Oxygen 0-667 



Phosphate of Lime, 0-114 



Phosphate of Magnesia, 0*073 



Solid constituents, 97'10 



Specific gravity, 1-028 



Fibrin, 4-05 



Albumen, 78-84 



Fat, 1-72 



Extractive matters, 3'94 



Mineral substances, 8-55 



Chlorine, 3-664 



Sulphuric Acid, .' 0115 



Phosphoric Acid, 0191 



Potassium 0-328 



Sodium, S.341 



Oxygen, 0'403 



Phosphate of Lime, 0-311 



Phosphate of Magnesia, 0-222 



Physiological Chemistry. Philadelphia, 1855 ; vol. i., p. 546. 



