ITS PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL, AND STRUCTURAL CHARACTERS. 161 



From this we see that not only do the Hsematin and Globulin of the Corpus- 

 cles replace the Fibrin and Albumen of the Liquor Sanguinis, but the proportion 

 of Fat in the former is considerably greater than in the latter; and that 

 although the whole amount of mineral matter (excluding the iron of the Hse- 

 matin, which will amount to 1.17), is nearly the same in the Corpuscles as in 

 the Liquor Sanguinis, yet that there is a most remarkable and significant differ- 

 ence in is constituents in the two cases respectively. For while the Chlorine 

 of the corpuscles is to that of the liq. sang, as 1 : 2.16, the Phosphoric acid of 

 the corpuscles to that of the liq. sang, as nearly 6:1; and whilst the Sodium 

 of the corpuscles is to that of the liq. sang, as^l :J5.3, the Potassium of the 

 corpuscles is to that of the liq. sang, as 10.3 to 1. Hence it is obvious that 

 the Chloride of Sodium of the blood must be principally contained within the 

 liquor sanguinis, whilst the Potash of the blood is almost wholly included in 

 the substance of the corpuscles ; and from the excess of Phosphorus in the 

 corpuscles as well as of Fat, it may be fairly concluded, that it is in them that 

 the peculiar " phosphorized fats" are chiefly formed. These facts seem to sug- 

 gest a very important office for the Red Corpuscles, which is in harmony with 

 all we know of the ratio which their amount in different animals and in differ- 

 ent individuals of the Human species, bears to the development of nervo-mus- 

 cular power ( 194); namely, that they are especially concerned in preparing 

 the pabulum for the Nervous and Muscular tissues, the former of which is dis- 

 tinguished by the presence of phosphorized fats ( 44), and the latter by the 

 remarkable predominance of the potash-salts ( 85). And this 1 view derives 

 further confirmation from the fact that a flesh-diet seems to have a decided effect 

 in promoting the formation of the red corpuscles ( 161). 4 The Reel Corpus- 

 cles appear to have a remarkable power of absorbing certain gases; for it has 

 been found by Van Maack and Scherer that a solution of hsematin possesses a 

 considerable power of attracting oxygen, the latter of these chemists having also 

 ascertained that after the absorption of oxygen there is a slight development of 

 carbonic acid; whilst it has been proved by the experiments of Davy, Nasse, 

 Scherer, Magnus, and Lehmann (see Op. cit., band II. p. 180), that the capacity 



1 So long as the error of identifying the substance of Muscle with the Fibrin of the 

 Blood prevailed amongst Chemists and Physiologists, the idea stated above would have had 

 little weight; but now that we know that no special relation- between them exists ($ 25), 

 we are free to attribute the source of the Muscular structure to whichever component of 

 the Blood seems most likely to afford it ; and in the absence of any very positive distinc- 

 tion between the composition and properties of Albumen and Globulin, the peculiar rela- 

 tion between the mineral constituents of Muscle and those of the Red Corpuscles, seems to 

 be the surest guide that we can adopt. 

 11 



