THE BLOOD. 85 



with alkalies or NaCl solutions, which seem to be identical with 

 the so-called hyaline substance of ROVIDA found in the pus-cells. 

 On digesting the leucocytes with water a solution of a proteid body 

 is obtained which can be precipitated by acetic acid and which is 

 not soluble in an excess of the acid (SCHMIDT and KAUSCHEN- 

 BACH, WOOLDRIDGE). This proteid substance, designated " lymph - 

 fibrinogen " by WOOLDRIDGE, when obtained from certain leucocytes 

 (but not from others) has a powerful action on the coagulation of 

 fibrin. An important constituent of the colorless corpuscles is, 

 according to ALEX. SCHMIDT, the fibrin ferment or perhaps more 

 correctly a mother-substance of the same, a zymogen. In the 

 destruction of the colorless corpuscles the fibrin ferment is set free 

 and serum globulin also passes into the plasma at the same time. 

 HALLIBURTON has isolated two globulins and one albumin (see 

 page 42) from the leucocytes of the lymphatic glands, besides Rovi- 

 DA'S hyaline substance, and albumoses and peptones as post-mortem 

 products. 



Among the other constituents of the pale corpuscles we 

 must mention glycogen, which occurs in the living but not in the 

 dead cell, lecithin, prof agon (?), and cholesterin. The nucleus 

 consists without doubt of nuclein. The mineral constituents are 

 probably the same as in the pus-cells (see Chapter V). 



The above statements in regard to the constituents of the leuco- 

 cytes cover not only the pale blood-corpuscles, but also the leuco- 

 cytes of the lymphatic glands. The leucocytes of the blood are 

 considered as cells pierced from the outside, and it is probably the 

 correct view because we know of no specific chemical properties 

 or constituents in the leucocytes of the blood which differ from 

 those of other leucocytes. 



The blood-tablets (BIZZOZERO'S), whose nature and physiological 

 importance have been much questioned, are pale, colorless, gummy 

 disks, round or more oval in shape and generally with a diameter 

 two or three times smaller than the red blood-corpuscles. Their 

 number, according to FUSARI, in healthy persons is 180,000-250,000 

 in 1 c.mm. Certain investigators, for example BIZZOZERO, 

 SCHIMMELBUSCH, and LAKER, claim that the blood-tablets occur 

 preformed in the circulating blood, while others, for instance 

 LOWIT and WOOLDRIDGE, deny this. Other investigators (HLAVA) 



