THE BLOOD. 113 



creased by suppuration in puerperal fever, pyaemia, and many 

 other diseases, but especially in leucaemia, which disease is char- 

 acterized by a great abundance of leucocytes in the blood. The 

 number of leucocytes is not only absolutely increased in this 

 disease, but also in proportion to the number of red blood-cor- 

 puscles, which is considerably diminished in leucaemia. The blood 

 from a leucaemic patient has a lower specific gravity than the ordi- 

 nary (1.035-1.040) and a lighter color, as if it were mixed with pus. 

 The reaction after death is often acid, probably due to a decompo- 

 sition of the considerably-increased lecithin. In leucaemic blood, 

 volatile fatty acids, lactic acid, glycero-phosphoric acid, large 

 amounts of xanthin bodies (SALOMON, KOSSEL) and the so-called 

 CHARCOT'S crystals (see Chapter XI) have been found. 



The quantity of water in the blood is increased by general 

 dropsy, with or without kidney disease, by the different forms of 

 anaemia, by scurvy, and by febrile diseases. The amount of water 

 is diminished by abundant transudations, by powerful laxatives, by 

 diarrhoea, and especially by cholera. 



The amount of albumins in the blood may be relatively in- 

 creased (HYPERALBUMINOSE) in cholera and after the action of 

 laxatives. A decrease in the amount of albumin (HYPALBUMINOSE) 

 occurs after direct loss of albumin from the blood, as in bleeding 

 albuminuria, dysentery, abundant formation of pus, etc., etc. The 

 amount of fibrin is increased (HYPERINOSE) in inflammatory dis- 

 eases, pneumonia, acute muscular rheumatism, and erysipelas, in 

 which the blood yields a " CRUSTA PHLOGISTICA " because it coagu- 

 lates more slowly. The statements in regard to the occurrence of 

 a hyperinose in scurvy and hydraemia seems to require further 

 investigation. A decrease in the amount of fibrin (HYPINOSE) has 

 been observed in malaria, pyaemia, and malignant anaemia. These 

 statements also require further corroboration. 



The amount of fat in the blood (LIP^MIA) increases, irrespect- 

 ive of the increase after a diet rich in fat, in drunkards, in corpu- 

 lent individuals, after fracture of the bones, and also in diabetes. 

 In the last-mentioned case the increase in fat depends, according 

 to PAVY and HOPPE-SEYLER, upon defective digestion. 



An increase in the amount of fat in the blood has also been ob- 

 served in diseases of the liver, Bright's disease, tuberculosis, mala- 



