GENERAL COMPOSITION. 
i53 
and are even capable of abstracting the oxygen which is combined with 
haemoglobin, so that arterial blood rapidly becomes converted into venous 
blood, when it is not exposed to the access of fresh oxygen. It is not known 
upon what substance or substances these properties depend, but it is prob- 
able that it is a function of the protoplasm of cells, and, in the case of the 
blood, it may be due to the protoplasm of the white corpuscles. 
General composition. — The general composition of blood and the 
relative distribution of its constituents in the corpuscles and plasma 
respectively is illustrated in the accompanying tables from C. Schmidt x 
and Bunffe. 2 
Venous Blood of a Man, out. 25 
, sp. gr. 1*0599 
(C. Schmidt). 
In 1000 grms. blood corpuscles (sp. gr. 1-0886) — 
Water ..... 
681-63 
Substances not vaporising at 120° C. 
318-37 
Haemoglobin and other proteid substances 
311-09 
Inorganic substances — 
Chlorine 
1-750 
Sulphuric acid . 
0-061 
Phosphoric acid . 
1-355 
Potassium 
3-091 
Sodium 
0-470 
Phosph. lime 
0-094 
Phosphate magnesia 
0-060 
Oxygen . 
0-401 
Total of inorganic constituents (exclusive of iron 
In 1000 grms. plasma (sp. gr. P0312)— 
\ 
7-282 
) 
Water ..... 
901-51 
Substances not vaporising at 120" C. 
, 
98-49 
Fibrin ..... 
. 
8-06 
Other proteids and organic substances . 
. , 
81-92 
Inorganic substances — 
Chlorine 
3-536 
Sulphuric acid . 
0-129 
Phosphoric acid . 
0-145 
Potassium 
0-314 
Sodium . 
3-410 
Phosphate lime . 
0-298 
Phosphate magnesia 
0.218 
Oxygen . 
0-455 
Total of inorganic constituents 
8-505 
In this estimation the phosphoric acid is probably too high, being 
increased in the process of calcining by the phosphorus in the lecithin. 
Sertoli, 3 by eliminating this error, obtained only - 025 grin, phosphoric 
acid per 1000 grms. ox serum, equivalent to only - 005 per cent, hydro- 
disodic phosphate (iSTa 2 HP0 4 ). 
It is clear from the following table that there are considerable 
differences in the composition of the whole blood and of its parts in 
1 "Charakter. der epid. Cholera," Leipzig, 1850. 
2 Ztschr. f. Biol., Munchen, 1876, Bd. xii. S. 191; and "Physiol, and Pathol. 
Chemistry," trans, by Wooldridge, 1890, p. 245. 
3 Sertoli in Hoppe-Seylers Med. Chem. Untersuch.. Berlin, 1868, S. 352. See also 
Miroczkowski, Centralbl. f. d. med. Wissensch., Berlin, 1878, S. 353, who obtained in calf 
serum, - 018 ; in sheep serum, 0.0092 and 0061 ; and in dog serum, - 0083 parts 
Na.,HP0 4 per 100 serum. 
