642 ARTERIAL AND VENOUS BLOOD. 



florid hue, and its vital properties exalted. It 

 has also been proved by the experiments of 

 Prevost and Dumas, Denis, Le Canu, Mayer, 

 Autenrieth and Letellier, that arterial contains a 

 larger proportion of organic particles than venous 

 blood ; as might naturally have been inferred 

 from the obvious fact, that during every circula- 

 tion of the former through the general system, a 

 portion of them is transferred to the solids. The 

 relative proportions of fibrin contained in the ar- 

 terial and venous blood of different animals, are 

 stated by Muller, on the authority of Berthold, as 

 follows : 



Arterial. Venous. 



Dog 666 .... 500 

 Sheep 566 .... 465 . 

 Cat 521 .... 474 

 Goat 429 .... 366 



It was before shewn from the experiments of Dr. 

 Davy, that the specific gravity of venous ex- 

 ceeds that of arterial blood. But, as if not aware 

 of the fact, that the latter contains a larger pro- 

 portion of fibrin and red particles ; he observes, 

 that the greater specific gravity of venous blood 

 may depend partly on its containing less water, 

 and more animal matter. (Anat. and Physiologi- 

 cal Researches, vol. ii. p. 25.) He adds, " the use 

 of the red particles, according to the views of 

 Hunter, seems to be connected less with nutri- 

 tion than with action, and more with the produc- 

 tion of animal heat, than perhaps with any other 

 function." 



