112 CIRCULATING FLUIDS: 



B. The general chemical relations of the colouring matter of 



the blood {Hamatin.) 



The red colouring matter of the blood is contained^ in all 

 probability^ in a state of solution in the corpuscles, an opinion 

 which is also supported by Miiller, Schultz, and Reichert. If, 

 in the examination of frog^s blood, one corpuscle be observed to 

 move over another, the lower can be distinctly perceived through 

 the upper one. Moreover, the instantaneous solution of the 

 corpuscles by means of bilin supports this view ; for, if their 

 contents were gelatinous or solid, the act of solution would be 

 observed to progress from the circumference to the centre, and 

 would admit of being observed by the microscope. 



HiinefekF seems to support the opinion that the colouring 

 matter exists in an insoluble form, attached to the inner surface 

 of the capsules. If, however, this were the case, the blood- 

 corpuscles would appear more opaque than they do. The 

 observations of Hiinefeld and others show that the follow- 

 ing substances heighten the red colour of the blood : cold 

 water-extract of the flesh of rabbits and calves (having an acid 

 reaction) communicates a vermilion colour to the blood. It 

 becomes of a deep garnet red by the carbonate, cj^anate, and 

 nitrate of ammonia, and less intensely by the saliva, phthisical 

 sputa, gonorrhoeal matter, sweat, hydrocyanic acid, the carbo- 

 nates of soda and potash, and bicarbonate of soda. 



A brown tinge may be produced by the agency of several 

 substances; for instance, by all free acids, by sugar of milk, 

 oil of bitter almonds, ammonia, boracic acid, carbonate of mag- 

 nesia, tartrate of potash, bromide of potassium, sulphate of 

 magnesia, chloride of strontium, nitrate of strontia, lactate of 

 iron, phosphorus, iodine, &c. 



The alkalies, alkaline earths, and sulphuret of potassium 

 produce a green tint. It becomes entirely decolorized by the 

 action of coneine and oil of turpentine. 



c. The general chemical relations of the nuclei of the 

 blood-corpuscles. 



The similarity of the constitution of the nuclei to coagulated 

 fibrin has been long observed. Hiinefeld,^ however, conceives 



' L. c, p. 104. 'Der Chemismus, u. s. w., p. 108. 



