BLOOD OF THE SPLENIC VEIN. 319 



ments in regard to such a difference are in fact contradictory. For 

 example, DROSDOFF found more haemoglobin in the hepatic than in 

 the portal vein, while OTTO found less. KRUGER finds that the quantities 

 of haemoglobin, as well as of the solids, in the blood from the vessels 

 passing to and from the liver are different, but a constant relation 

 cannot be determined. The hepatic vein, according to DOYON and 

 collaborators, 1 is richer in fibrinogen than the blood from the portal 

 vein. The disputed question as to the varying quantities of sugar in 

 the portal and hepatic veins will be discussed in a following chapter (see 

 Chapter VIII, on the formation of sugar in the liver). After a meal 

 rich in carbohydrates, the blood of the portal vein not only becomes 

 richer in dextrose, but may contain also dextrin and other carbohydrates 

 (v. MERINO, OTTO 2 ). The amount of urea in the blood from the hepatic 

 vein is greater than in other blood (GREHANT and QuiNQUAUD 3 ). In 

 regard to the quantity of ammonia, see page 318. 



Blood of the Splenic Vein is decidedly richer in leucocytes than the 

 blood from the splenic artery. The red blood-corpuscles of the blood 

 from the splenic vein are smaller than the ordinary, less flattened, and 

 show a greater resistance to water. The blood from the splenic vein is 

 also claimed to be richer in water, fibrin, and protein than the ordinary 

 venous blood. According to v. MIDDENDORFF, it is richer in haemoglobin 

 than arterial blood. KRUGER 4 and his pupils found that the blood 

 from the vena lienalis is generally richer in haemoglobin and solids than 

 arterial blood; still the contrary is often found. The blood from the 

 splenic vein coagulates slowly. 



The Blood from the Veins of the Glands. The blood circulates with 

 greater rapidity through a gland during activity (secretion) than when 

 at rest, and the outflowing venous blood has therefore during activity a 

 lighter red color and a greater amount of oxygen. Because of the secre- 

 tion the venous blood also becomes somewhat poorer in water and richer 

 in solids. 



The blood from the Muscular Veins shows an opposite behavior, for 

 during activity it is darker and more venous in its properties because 

 of the increased absorption of oxygen by the muscles and still greatv 

 production of carbon dioxide than when at rest. 



Menstrual Blood, according to an old belief, has not the power 

 of coagulating. This statement is, nevertheless, false, and the apparent 

 uncoagulability depends in part on the retention of the blood-clot by 



1 See footnote 2, page 245. 



2 Drosdoff, Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chem., 1; Otto, Maly's Jahresber, 17; v. Mering, 

 Arch. f. (Anat. u.) Physiol, 1877, 214. 



3 I.e. 



4 v. Middendorff, Centralbl. f. Physiol., 2, 753; Kriiger, 1. c. 



