1863.] 479 



globuline, and partly as material, in its reactions resembling c aseine 

 in some respects, in others albuminose, and which is fully described 

 in the memoir. These considerations lead to the necessity of inves- 

 tigating the several distinct functions of the liver : 



1st. As to its action on the fibrine and albumen of the blood. 



2nd. As to the constitution of healthy bile (so far as its azotized 

 elements are concerned). 



3rd. As to the relative composition and characters of the blood 

 which enters and of that which leaves the liver. 



The author adds his testimony to that of Lehmann and Brown- 

 Sequard as regards the fibrine-destroying function of the liver ; he 

 attempts to show that, in proportion to the amount of fibrine which 

 disappears in the liver, the quantity of nitrogen eliminated in the 

 form of bile is very small indeed, but that the blood in passing 

 through the liver becomes greatly enriched in colourless corpuscles, 

 and that it contains more abundantly than other blood an azotized 

 compound, resembling what has been described by some authors as 

 blood-caseine . This material, although resembling, is not identical 

 with caseine ; it can be obtained from the serum of blood abstracted 

 by a peculiarly contrived instrument (a drawing of which accom- 

 panies the paper) from the vena cava, close to the mouths of the 

 hepatic veins. 



Whatever may be its precise chemical composition and charac- 

 teristics, whether it is to be regarded as a form of albumen, or albu- 

 men-peptone (albuminose), or caseine, it is enough to state, that during 

 active digestion the blood which leaves the liver contains a proteic 

 compound, that it is richer in this compound than arterial blood, and 

 that this latter is richer in it than ordinary venous blood, or than 

 that of the portal vein. At the same time the blood of the hepatic 

 veins contains a far larger quantity of colourless blood-corpuscles 

 than the portal blood. 



A microscopic examination of these kinds of blood shows that the 

 colourless corpuscles are from five to ten times more numerous in 

 the former than in the latter. Physiologists are so familiar with this 

 fact, as well as with the chief peculiarities of the colourless corpuscles 

 of hepatic blood, that it is unnecessary to dwell upon the circum- 

 stances which have induced some of the most distinguished among 

 them to regard as the most important function of the liver, the 



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