478 



represents the fibrine ; and these data being obtained, the amount of 

 blood-corpuscles, and that of fibrine in 1000 parts of the blood, are 

 determined by a simple calculation. 



The general correspondence between the instances adduced in the 

 present communication and those of my former contribution is suffi- 

 ciently obvious ; the proportion of red corpuscles in patients to 

 whom oil had been successfully administered exceeding that ascer- 

 tained to exist in the first stage of the disease, in those to whom this 

 medicine had not been given. It is commonly stated, and the remark 

 is in harmony with my own observations, that the proportion of 

 red corpuscles is usually less in women than in men. To this rule 

 the seventh case in the Table furnishes an exception, and it was 

 further remarkable from the fact that a murmur could be heard in 

 the jugular vein ; a phenomenon commonly attributed to spareness 

 of blood-corpuscles, but in this instance associated with more than 

 the average amount. 



The case numbered thirteen in the tabular analyses would seem 

 directly opposed to the conclusion to which the other observations 

 tend, but the patient had suffered from repeated attacks of spitting 

 of blood so extreme as to place her life in jeopardy. This profuse 

 hsemorrhage would naturally increase the poverty of the circulating 

 fluid, and thus counteract to a great extent the apparent influence 

 of the remedy. 



In the fourteenth case ozonized oil had been administered. 



The rapid reproduction of red corpuscles implied in these obser- 

 vations, suggests inquiries of special interest ; but I purposely abstain 

 from any attempt to explain the mode by which it is effected. 



II. " Further Observations on the Power exercised by the 

 Actiniae of our Shores in killing their prey." In a Letter 

 to W. BOWMAN, Esq./ F.R.S., dated Oct. 25, 1858. By 

 R. M'DONNELL, M.D. Communicated by Mr. BOWMAN. 

 Received Oct. 27, 1858. 



DEAR SIR, In the course of last winter I had the honour, through 

 your kindness, of making a communication to the Royal Society " On 

 the Power exercised by the Actiniae of our Shores in killing their 

 prey;" allow me now, through the same medium, to correct the 



