The Blood and the Lymph. 87 



Alcohol a Poison. " The introduction of alcohol into 

 healthy blood can do nothing but mischief. No one who 

 is familiar with the action of poisons upon the living ani- 

 mal body has the smallest hesitation in saying that alcohol 

 is a poison." W. B. Carpenter. 



A poison is any substance whose nature it is when ab- 

 sorbed into the blood to injure health or destroy life.* 



Summary. i . The blood consists of a liquid, the plasma, in which 

 float the colored and colorless corpuscles. 



2. The color of blood is given by a substance, called hemoglobin, in 

 the colored corpuscles. 



3. When blood is shed it coagulates, tending to check its own 

 escape. 



4. Lymph is like the blood diluted and lacking the colored cor- 

 puscles. 



5. A set of lymph tubes conveys the lymph into the veins to join 

 the flow toward the heart. 



6. In its course the lymph passes through the lymphatic glands. 



Questions. i. What is blood poisoning ? 



2. Which is heavier, blood or water ? 



3. Does it help a sick person to bleed him ? 



4. What is meant by good blood ? Bad blood ? 



5. What is meant by good humored ? Bad humored ? 



6. Does the blood remain the same from day to day ? Or even from 

 hour to hour ? 



* See Taylor's "Treatise on Poisons," page 18, footnote. 



