jii.oon I'KiM i:\TS 479 



deposited in the liver, spleen and kidneys within 2-1 hours.''^'' In in- 

 farcts hemosiderin soon disappears (Schmidt),'^* presumably because 

 dissolved by the acids formed during- autolysis. According- to Neu- 

 mann, hemosiderin is produced only under the influence of living cells 

 and in the presence of oxygen, while hematoidin arises independent of 

 cellular activity ; '"'' but ]^rown ■''' has found that hemosiderin can be 

 formed during autolysis of the liver, especially when air is present, 

 and thei-efore pi'obably by an oxidizing enzyme. He suggests that in 

 hemosiderin the pigment is still hematoidin, and that the formation 

 of hemosiderin takes place in the nuclei, the hemosiderin being made 

 directly from hemoglobin without the intervention of hematin. It 

 may also be formed from the iron-containing protein of the cells dur- 

 ing autolysis, independent of hemoglobin."'" jNIilner ^* considers that, 

 under similar conditions, an iron-containing pigment is also formed, 

 which differs from hemosiderin in having the iron so combined that 

 it cannot react with the usual reagents ; this pigment may later change 

 into hemosiderin. Up to the present time we do not know the chem- 

 ical nature of hemosiderin, nor its exact fate in the body, but it is 

 probabl}' utilized in the manufacture of new hemoglobin, for it is 

 known that the iron liberated when hematin is broken up in the body 

 under experimental conditions is deposited and not eliminated (Mor- 

 ishima).'"'^ 



Unstained hemosiderin generally appears in the form of brown 

 or yellowish-brown granules, and not as crystals. After a time it is 

 taken up and deposited to a large extent in the liver, spleen, bone- 

 marrow, and kidney, either as hemosiderin or possibly as some other 

 iron compound of similar nature. From these sites it seems to be 

 later taken up to be utilized in the manufacture of new red cor- 

 puscles. 



All told the average human body contains about 3.2 grams of iron, 

 of which 2.4 to 2.7 grams is in the blood. According to Meyer ""^ 

 iron is present in the body in three forms : 1. Not demonstrable by 

 reagents because so firmly bound (hemoglobin). 2. Loosely bound 

 iron, colored by (NIT4)oS acting for a long time (ferratin). 3. Salt- 

 like compounds with proteins, and inorganic compounds, reacting at 

 once with reagents. Ferratin is the iron compound in the liver, con- 

 taining 6 per cent. iron. He believes that probably hemosiderin is 

 not a definite substance, but merely indicates compounds of the third 



33aMiiir and Dunn. Jour. Path, and Baot., 1015 (10), 417. 



54 Verb. Deut. Path. Cesell., lOOS (12), 271. 



55 The aocuninlation of iron in tho liver wliich follows poisoninijf with hemolytic 

 agents, is not prevented or diminished bv preliminary removal of the spleen 

 (Meinertz, Zeit. exp. Path. u. Ther., 1906 (2), 602). 



56 Jour. Exper. Med., 1910 (12), 623. 



5T Sprunt et al., Jour. Exp. Med., 1912 (16), 607. 

 ssVirchow's Arch., 1903 (174), 475. 

 59 Arch. exp. Path. u. Pharm., 1898 (41), 291. 

 eoErgeb. der Physiol, 1905 (5), 698; literature. 



