REMARKS ON THE GLOBULES OF BLOOD. 173 



tive power in the central part to that which it does in the circumference 

 or periphery. 



As regards the question of the solubility or insolubility of the glo- 

 bules in water, it is surprising that it has for so long a time remained 

 in dispute, and that so many difficulties have been brought forward to 

 reconcile a fact, to all appearance so simple to verify. This diversity of 

 opinion may probably be attributed to the means that have been em- 

 ployed in the endeavour to elucidate it. Thus, if blood be mixed with 

 a small quantity of water, the water may dissolve a small part of the 

 globular substance, and will be soon saturated ; there will remain glo- 

 bules, which, although diminished in bulk, may have preserved a volume 

 as large as before, by the absorption of water. If, on the contrary, too 

 great a quantity of \vater be employed, the globules may disappear, 

 either as the result of their limpidity, which is further increased in 

 water, or because they are in reality dissolved. 



But no doubt can remain, if the blood be operated upon in the fol- 

 lowing manner, in the way in which I did it : Spread on a piece of 

 glass some drops of blood at the moment they are taken from the body, 

 breathe immediately upon the glass ; in a few moments the vapour of the 

 breath condenses upon it, and the globules are dissolved in the liquid ; 

 there soon only remains on the glass a small quantity of reddish yellow 

 fluid ; this, when examined by the strongest power, does not exhibit the 

 smallest globule, and has all the appearance of serum. This fact is 

 very easily verified ; but as it may be objected, that it is owing to the 

 salts contained in the expired air, that the globular matter becomes 

 dissolved, I convinced myself to the contrary by employing steam ob- 

 tained from water heated from 35 to 40 : the result was the same; 

 care must however be taken, that the temperature of the steam is not 

 too high, as it would coagulate the globules, and render them inso- 

 luble. 



I cannot pass over in silence a remark which necessarily arises 

 from that which precedes ; at the sitting of the 12th November, 1838, 

 M. Askerson presented a memoir to the Academy of Sciences of Paris. 

 (Conjectures on the part performed by fatty bodies in the formation of 

 layers of cellular tissue.) Among the results arrived at by the author, 

 was the following : The globules or vesicles of blood are cellules which 

 contain a fatty liquid ; and it is their function to carry and to distribute 

 this fluid everywhere, where the formation of cellules should take place. 



This fact would be very important, if it were true ; but is it possible 

 to believe, that if the blood- globules were fatty, that they would dissolve 

 in water with such facility ? On the other hand, is it so easy to con- 



