FIBRIN. 



blood-corpuscles, and what are termed the fibrin-discs, which are 

 found associated with molecular granules of various kinds, and 

 usually even with blood- pigment. A microscopic examination 

 of coagulated and perfectly washed fibrin will readily prove that 

 the mass under consideration is not of a homogeneous nature. It 

 is a chemical fact that pure fibrin (even that of the pig, which 

 dissolves so readily in a saline solution,) is incapable of complete 

 solution, and always leaves a quantity of insoluble flakes. Even if 

 Bouchardafs* statement is erroneous, as asserted by Dumas, 

 Cahour,f and MulderJ, that he has decomposed fibrin into epider- 

 mose and albuminose, Mulder's experiments undoubtedly tend to 

 show that more than one substance must lie concealed in fibrin ; 

 and this seems further proved by the above mentioned difference 

 in the fibrin in different classes of animals, as well as by its different 

 character in diseases, (the molecular fibrin of Zimmermann, the 

 parafibrin and bradyfibrin of Polli.||) Microscopical examination 

 furnishes us, however, with the chief proof that fibrin is not a simple 

 body. 



In considering the elementary composition of this body, we 

 must therefore always bear in mind that the results of the analyses 

 refer to a mixed substance. 



We will therefore content ourselves with giving the results of 

 Scherer's and Mulder's analyses, in order to present some idea of 

 the proportion of the various elements constituting fibrin. 



Scherer. Mulder. 



Carbon 53-571 .... 52'7 



Hydrogen 6-895 .... 6'9 



Nitrogen 15'720 .... 15*4 



Oxygen .... ) ...i ( 23-5 



Sulphur .... V .... 22-814 1'2 



Phosphorus J .... I ' 3 



100-000 100-0 



RiilmgH found 1-319$ of sulphur in the fibrin of the blood of 

 the ox, while Verdeilt gave it as 1'593. Most of the later 

 elementary analyses of fibrin agree in the view that there is rather a 

 larger quantity of oxygen contained in it than in albumen ; Mulder 



* Compt. rend. T. 14, p. 962. 



t Ibid. p. 995. 



J Ann. d. Ch. u. Pharm. Bd. 47, S. 303-305. 



Zur Analysis und Synthesis der pseudoplast. Processe. Berlin. 1844. S. 1 10 ff. 



II Gazeta med. di Milano, 1844, p. 118. 



H Ann. d. Ch. u. Pharm. Bd. 58, S. 312 u. 318. 



2 A 



