194 CIRCULATING FLUIDS: 



Boissier and Hamburger, on the contrary, fonnd arterial 

 denser than venous blood. 



The observations of Bellingeri' respecting the electric rela- 

 tions of arterial and venous blood are very singular. 



In birds, horses, and occasionally in sheep and calves, both 

 forms of blood are in the same electric state. In other animals 

 the arterial blood is positively electric in relation to the venous. 

 The reverse has never been observed. 



Observations have also been made regarding the comparative 

 tendency to putrefaction of arterial and venous blood. Krimer 

 and Kanig assert that arterial blood is the most prone to decay; 

 Thackrah, on the contrary, makes a similar statement respecting 

 venous blood. 



In order to obtain any correct information with regard to the 

 differences that undoubtedly exist in the composition of arterial 

 and venous blood, it is necessary to have recourse to accurate 

 chemical analyses. I have devoted much attention to this point, 

 and fully concur with Scliultz, Dumas and Prevost, and others, 

 in the belief that the two forms of blood present marked differ- 

 ences of constitution. 



I made use of the blood of horses in these experiments, and 

 was kindly assisted by Professor Gurlt. The carotids, from 

 which we obtained the arterial blood, were exposed, and opened 

 in such a manner as to ensure the absence of any venous blood : 

 the venous blood was obtained from the jugulars. 



The analyses were made according to my ordinary method 

 (vide supra), and gave the following results.^ 



1000 parts of blood contained : 



' Quoted by Lecanu. Etudes Chimiques sur le Sang luiniain, p. 75. 



■■^ It must be observed that no sound horses were used for these experiments, but 



