PUS. 363 



The synovia of new-born babes corresponds to that of resting animals. 

 The fluid of the bursae mucosae, as also the fluid in the synovial cavities 

 around joints, etc., is similar to synovia from a qualitative standpoint. 



III. PUS. 



Pus is a yellowish-gray or yellowish-green, creamy mass of a faint 

 odor and an unsavory, sweetish taste. It consists of a fluid, the pus- 

 serum, in which solid particles, the pus-cells, swim. The number of these 

 cells varies so considerably that the pus may at one time be thin and at 

 another time so thick that it scarcely contains a drop of serum. The 

 specific gravity, therefore, may also greatly vary, namely, between 

 1.020 and 1.040, but ordinarily it is 1.031-1.033. The reaction of fresh 

 pus is generally alkaline, but it may become neutral or acid from a decom- 

 position in which fatty acids, glycerophosphoric acid, and also lactic 

 acid are formed. 



In the chemical investigation of pus, the pus-serum and the pus- 

 corpuscles must be studied separately. 



Pus-serum. Pus does not coagulate spontaneously nor after the 

 addition of defibrinated blood. The fluid in which the pus-corpuscles 

 are suspended is not to be compared with the blood-plasma, but rather 

 with the serum. The pus-serum is pale yellow, yellowish-green, or brownish- 

 yellow, and has an alkaline reaction toward litmus. It contains, for the 

 most part, the same constituents as the blood-serum; but sometimes 

 besides these when, for instance, the pus has remained in the body 

 for a long time it contains a nucleoalbumin or a nucleoprotein which 

 is precipitated by acetic acid and is soluble with great difficulty in an 

 excess of the acid (pyin of the earlier, authors). This nucleoalbumin 

 seems to be formed from the hyaline substance of the pus-cells by macera- 

 tion. The pus-serum contains, moreover, at least in many cases, no 

 fibrin ferment. According to the analyses of HOPPE-SEYLER l the pus- 

 serum contains in 1000 parts: 



Water.. . 913'.70 905.65 



Solids 86.30 94.35 



Proteins 63.23 77.21 



Lecithin 1 . 50 . 56 



Fat 0.26 0.29 



Cholesterin 0.53 0.87 



Alcohol extractives 1 . 52 0.73 



Water extractives 11 . 53 6 .92 



Inorganic salts .' , 7 . 73 7 . 77 



Med.-Chem. Untersuch., 490. 



