COMPOSITION OF BLOOD. 65 



Average proportions of all the constituents of the blood in 

 1000 parts: 



Water, 784. 



Albumen, ......... 70. 



Fibrin, 2.2 



Ked corpuscles (dry), ...... 130. 



Fatty matters, 1.4 



Inorganic Salts: Chloride of sodium, . . . 3.6 

 Chloride of potassium, . . . 0.35 

 Tribasic phosphate of soda, . . 0.2 

 Carbonate of soda, . . . . 0.28 

 Sulphate of soda, .... 0.28 

 Phosphates of lime and magnesia, 0.25 

 Oxide and phosphate of iron, . 0.5 



Extractive matters, biliary coloring matter, gases, 



and accidental substances, ..... 6.40 



1000. 



Elementary composition of the dried blood of the ox : 



Carbon, 57.9 



Hydrogen, 7.1 



Nitrogen, ......... 17.4 



Oxygen, 19.2 



Ashes, .......... 4.4 



These results of the ultimate analysis of ox's blood afford a 

 remarkable illustration of its general purpose, as supplying the 

 materials for the renovation of all the tissues. For the analysts 

 (Playfair and Boeckmann) have found that the flesh of the ox 

 yields the same elements in so nearly the same proportions that 

 the elementary composition of the organic constituents of the 

 blood and flesh may be considered identical, and may be rep- 

 resented for both by the formula C 45 H 39 N 6 O 15 . 



The Blood- Corpuscles or Blood- Cells. 



It has been already said that the clot of blood contains, 

 with the fibrin and the portion of the serum that is soaked in 

 it, the blood-corpuscles, or blood-cells. Of these there are two 

 principal forms, the red and the white corpuscles. When 

 coagulation has taken place quickly, both kinds of corpuscles 

 may be uniformly diffused through the clot ; but, when it has 

 been slow, the red corpuscles, being the heaviest constituent of 

 the blood, tend by gravitation to accumulate at the bottom of 

 the clot; and the white corpuscles, being among the lightest 

 constituents, collect in the upper part, and contribute to the 

 formation of the bufly coat. 



