BLOOD. 1 1 1 



the blood immediately becomes clear, and the corpuscles dis- 

 appear. In consequence of the viscidity of ordinary bile, I 

 experimented with pure bilin. 



Upon the addition of a little partially diied l)ilin to the 

 blood of man, the calf, the tench, or the frog, the fluid becomes, 

 after a little stirring, thick, almost gelatinous, capable of being 

 drawn out into threads, and no corpuscles can be seen in it. If 

 a minute drop of frog's blood, in which the corpuscles have 

 been thus dissolved, be brought in contact, and suffered to mix 

 with a fresh drop of blood from the same animal, an interesting 

 microscopic object is afl'orded. After the first intense action is 

 over, the corpuscles are seen to move about slowly, or to be in 

 a state of rest, and gradually to disappear. The solution of 

 the capsule (not of the nucleus) occurs so instantaneously that 

 the eye cannot trace the reaction. The nucleus always remains 

 as a granulai' mulberry-like corpuscle. It becomes gradually paler 

 and paler, enlarging itself visibly at the same time, and at last its 

 existence can only be ascertained by its brightness. I have 

 never succeeded in observing the decomposition of the nucleus 

 into its constituent parts, which has been described by Hiinefeld, 

 although I have carefully repeated his experiments. I usually 

 obsei-ved, however, that at those points where many corpuscles 

 had disappeared, numerous minute points were visible, of which 

 the larger ones displayed a lively molecular motion. In those 

 instances in which the corpuscles resisted the solvent power of 

 the bilin for a considerable time (possibly in consequence of 

 the reagent being applied in too dilute a state), they often as- 

 sumed very peculiar forms ; appearing as if they were twisted, 

 and extended longitudinally in one direction, or variously 

 coloured in the interior. (Vide supra, p. 106.) 



I have formerly noticed the solvent power of olive oil upon 

 the corpuscles. 1 I shook a quantity of the blood of a calf, which 

 had been allowed to flow from the vein into a vessel one quarter 

 full of olive oil, until the blood was perfectly cool. No cor- 

 puscles could then be detected. Whipt blood exhibits the same 

 phenomenon; but in this case it is requisite that the oil should 

 remain for a longer period in contact with the blood. This 

 fact has also been noticed by Magendie.'^ 



• Pharmaceutisclies Centralblatt, 1839, p. G72. 



* Lefons sur le Sang, et les alterations de cet liqnide, par Magendie. Bruxelles, 

 1839. p. 244. 



