194 Prof. C. S. Sherrington. On Change* in the Blood 



for hours in sealed cells in which the haemoglobin of the chrom x-ytes 

 exists in a reduced condition. 



Having thus attempted to state definitely some characters on which 

 I have depended for distinguishing one variety of hsemie leucocyte 

 from another, I will proceed to a more detailed summary of the 

 alteration in the numerical relations of the varieties, resulting from 

 various forms of acute local inflammation. 



As already pointed out, there occurs a diminution of the total 

 number of heemic leucocytes (a leucocytopenic phase), followed by 

 an increase of the total number of haemic leucocytes (a leucocytotic 

 phase) ; finally, in some experiments there is again a leucocytopenic 

 phase. 



First. The Leucocytopenic Phase* 



This phase has in my experiments always been observable when 

 the blood analysed was taken within a short time, e.g., less than an 

 hour, after the establishment of the lesion. 



The decrease in leucocytes affects the finely granular more than 

 the hyaline, indeed, my countings do not show any absolutely in- 

 dubitable decrease of the hyaline leucocytes. Remembering, how- 

 ever, that the apoplasmia of the blood is being established at this 

 time, and that were the hyaline leucocytes to remain undiminish^d 

 their number per unit volume of blood would be thereby increased, 

 the actually slight fall of their number in my countings looks as if 

 they did actually diminish in number, although to a less extent than 

 do the granular varieties. The fall in their proportion to the chromo- 

 cytes supports this belief, aud seems larger than attributable to the 

 eiTors inherent in estimations by sample. 



Interpretations of the significance of the leucocytopenia seem to be 

 still but doubtful inferences. The term leucocytopenia has been 

 introduced by Lowit,* and expresses conveniently any relative 

 scantiness of leucocytes such as that observed. Whether this inflam- 

 matory form of leucocytopenia is really the same in nature as the 

 form consequent on binding down the animal, prolonged exposure, 

 cooling, Ac., described by LOwit, is not clear. Under those circum- 

 stances Lowit discovered the decrease of leucocytes to be especially 

 due to decrease of the mononuclear variety (= broadly, the hyaline, in 

 my countings). Whether, further, the inflammatory leucocytopenia 

 is related to the other form of lencocytopenia (called, on theoretical 

 grounds, leucolysis), admirably studied by Liiwit, demands more 

 attention here. 



It has long been known that intravenous injection of a number of 



* Op. eit. 



