FORM AND COLOUR OF THE BLOOD-CELLS. 173 



colourless cells appeared very distinct, but there was scarcely any 

 trace of perfect coloured corpuscles ; moreover, many large white 

 globules of ether were seen in the yellow fluid ; the ether collected, 

 after 18 hours, from the watery fluid was colourless even after 

 repeated shakings ; from this I drew the conclusion that the ether 

 had not extracted much fat containing haematin from the 

 blood-cells. 



Salts, such as the sulphates of soda and potash, nitrate and 

 chlorate of potash, and similar compounds, resemble one another 

 considerably in their action ; we shall consequently limit ourselves 

 to noticing the relations of the following, which, in this point of 

 view, may be regarded as representatives of the neutral salts of the 

 fixed alkalies. 



On mixing 1 volume of blood with 0'8 of a volume of a solution 

 of nitrate of soda (saturated at 15), a light vermilion-coloured 

 opaque fluid resulted, in which the blood-corpuscles were strongly 

 contracted in their centre, and had a biscuit-like* or drum- stick- 

 shaped form. After 24 hours (at 12), the corpuscles had sunk to 

 the extent of l-22nd of the volume of the fluid ; the serum did not 

 separate very completely from the clot, and the whole of it had a 

 somewhat reddish tint ; the colour of the whole blood had again 

 become somewhat darker, so as to resemble that of unmixed 

 blood; the blood-corpuscles presented very great differences in 

 size and form, and were spherical, angular, elongated, and jagged. 



When 100 volumes of blood were mixed with 64 '7 volumes of 

 a solution of common phosphate of soda, the resulting fluid was of 

 a light vermilion colour, and after 45 minutes the corpuscles began 

 to sink ; these were strongly contracted and biscuit-formed ; after 

 23 hours the coloured cells had sunk to the extent of about l-16th 

 of the volume of the fluid ; the serum was perfectly colourless, and 

 the clot was of a bright scarlet tint; the corpuscles were still 

 strongly contracted. 



On mixing 1 volume of blood with half a volume of a solution of 

 proto carbonate of soda, a very light vermilion-coloured fluid was 

 obtained ; in the course of 40 minutes the corpuscles had distinctly 

 sunk; they were considerably contracted. After 24 hours they 

 had sunk through l-L5th of the volume of the fluid; the colour 

 of the blood was very dark ; the serum was reddish, imperceptibly 

 verging into the clot, and very tenacious and viscid ; the blood- 

 corpuscles were spherical, pale, and clouded. 



On mixing 1 volume of blood with 0*7 of a volume of a solution 

 * [BacJcschussel-liscuit in the German. o. E. D.] 



