206 DEATH OF BIOPLASM OF BLOOD. 



and many other vegetable tissues, is occupied by trans- 

 parent bioplasm-particles of excessive minuteness, which 

 circulate round and round in the interior just as nutrient 

 fluid goes round and round the vascular and lymphathic 

 systems. Suspended in the contents of the vegetable cell 

 we find the minute particles of living matter, a large mass 

 of more viscid bioplasm, and green corpuscles consisting of 

 chlorophyl. The solid or semi-solid colourless and green 

 particles correspond respectively to the white and red blood 

 corpuscles of blood. In vallisneria bioplasm I have 

 demonstrated very minute particles less than the 1 -o^Wo 

 of an inch in diameter, resembling those which I have 

 described and figured as existing in ordinary blood. (See 

 11 Disease Germs," Figs 55 and 62, Pis. XVI, XVII.) When 

 these die they become entangled in the general coagulum 

 formed by the death of the mass of the bioplasm, and help 

 to form the " fibrin." Fibrinous matter is formed when any 

 bioplasm dies under ordinary circumstances. If death 

 occurs very suddenly throughout the entire mass of bioplasm 

 or very slowly, particle after particle, the products formed 

 are modified. As the blood of the living body contains 

 living matter, we shall not wonder at the very rapid changes 

 produced in the circulating fluid by agents which are known 

 to destroy living bioplasm when brought into contact with 

 it. Many poisons kill by destroying the life of the blood. 

 The death of the bioplasm of the blood is almost imme- 

 diately succeeded by the death of the bioplasm of some of 

 the most important tissues of the body. 



Mucus Corpuscle. Upon the surface of the mucous 

 membrane of the air-passages, even in health, there is a 

 small quantity of a transparent, soft, moist, viscid matter 



