110 PHYSIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY. 



blood-corpuscles seems to decrease. In regard to the amount of 

 haemoglobin the statements are somewhat contradictory. 



The Blood at Different Periods of Life. Foetal blood is 

 strikingly poorer in blood-corpuscles and haemoglobin than the 

 blood of the adult. The foetal blood at the moment of birth has, 

 according to SCHERRENZISS, a lower specific gravity, a mark- 

 edly lower amount of haemoglobin, and a little less fibrin, but a 

 greater amount of mineral bodies, especially proportionally more 

 sodium (but less potassium) than the blood of adults. A few 

 hours after birth the blood of the child has the same quantity of 

 haemoglobin as the blood of the mother (COHNSTEIN, ZUNTZ, OTTO). 

 The amount of haemoglobin and of blood-corpuscles then quickly 

 increases; still they do not both increase at the same rate, as the 

 amount of haemoglobin increases much faster. Two to three days 

 after birth the haemoglobin reaches a maximum (20-21$), which is 

 greater than at any other period of life. This is the cause of the 

 great abundance of solids in the blood of new-born infants as 

 observed by DENIS, PANUM, and other investigators. The quan- 

 tity of haemoglobin and blood-corpuscles sinks gradually from this 

 first maximum to a minimum of about 11$ haemoglobin, which 

 minimum appears in human beings between the fourth and eighth 

 year. The quantity of haemoglobin then increases again until about 

 the twentieth year, when a second maximum of 13.7-15$ is reached. 

 The haemoglobin remains at this point only towards the forty-fifth 

 year, and then gradually and slowly decreases (LEICHTENSTERN, 

 OTTO). According to older statements, the blood at old age is 

 poorer in blood-corpuscles and albuminous bodies but richer in 

 water and salts. 



The Influence of Food on the Blood. In complete starvation a 

 decrease in the amount of solid blood constituents is found to take 

 place (PANUM and others). The amount of haemoglobin is a little 

 increased (SUBBOTIN, OTTO), and also the number of red blood-cor- 

 puscles is greater (WORM MULLER, BUNTZEN), which probably 

 depends on the fact that the blood-corpuscles are not so quickly 

 transformed as the serum. As after-effect the inanition causes an 

 anaemic condition (WORM MULLER, OTTO, BUNTZEN). 



After a rich meal the relative number of blood-corpuscles, 

 especially after secretion of digestive juices or absorption of 



