Vlll PREFACE AND SUMMARY OP CONTENTS. 



successive stages of haemoglobin dissociation incident upon ad- 

 renal insufficiency. Again, this portion of the inquiry revealed 

 that, while haemoglobin absorbed its share of adrenal secretion 

 and oxygen, the plasma did likewise. It thus became evident 

 that the red corpuscles were not the only carriers of oxygen, 

 and that the blood-plasma played an important part in the 

 distribution of this gas. Indeed, we subsequently ascertained 

 that the red corpuscles were secondary factors in this important 

 function, i.e., mere carriers, pack-mules, as it were, and that 

 it was the oxygen-laden adrenal secretion dissolved in the 

 plasma itself which carried on all the oxidation processes of the 

 organism. 



Of course, it became necessary to control this assertion. 

 Physiological chemistry was found to afford ample confirma- 

 tory evidence, the investigations of Schmiedeberg, Jaquet, 

 Abelous and Biarnes, Salkowski, and others having shown the 

 presence in the plasma of an "oxidation ferment." Claude 

 Bernard had also, many years before, discovered a "ferment" 

 in the blood: the identical substance which Lepine subse- 

 quently termed the "glycolytic ferment." These bodies we also 

 found to correspond with our oxygen-laden adrenal secretion 

 for which, by the way, we would venture to suggest the name 

 adrenoxin, though in the body of the present work it is termed 

 everywhere "oxidizing substance." 



The many physiological problems awaiting solution then 

 appeared to us in quite a new light. The ease with which the 

 oxygen carried by the plasma could penetrate the minute vas- 

 cular net-works of all cellular elements not only furnished a 

 clue to the physiological chemistry of the latter, but it also led 

 to the discovery that various structures the functions of which 

 were unknown were in reality blood-channels, or rather plasma- 

 channels. Thus, the axis-cylinders of all nerves and the den- 

 drites of neurons were found to contain a fluid identical to 

 blood-plasma in its reactions to staining fluids. Even the 

 neuroglia-fibrils asserted their identity as plasma-capillaries, the 

 neuroglia felt-work of the substance of the brain and cord 

 representing the intrinsic circulation of these organs. The 

 muscular contractile structures, the various glandular organs, 

 including the liver, pancreas, and spleen, the gastric and in- 



