BLOOD. 287 



SECOND FORM OF DISEASED BLOOD : HYPINOSTS.l 



I have sliown^ in speaking of liyperinosis sanguinis, what 

 striking clianges in the blood are due to the excessive accumu- 

 lation of fibrin, and a corresponding diminution of blood-cor- 

 puscles. These differences are easily seen, because it is usually 

 necessary that blood should be taken at a period when these 

 changes are most obvious. In hypinosis sanguinis the case is 

 diflerent : in many diseases of this nature it is not customary 

 to abstract blood at all, or at any rate only when an inflam- 

 matory affection is also present. Its distinctive characters 

 are therefore seldom so decidedly marked as in the former 

 case, and, in point of fact, less is known regarding this form of 

 diseased blood. 



Chemical characters of the blood. 



The quantity of fibrin is frequently less than in healthy 

 blood, or if it amounts to the normal quantity, its proportion to 

 the blood-corpuscles is less than is found in a state of health 

 (2*1 : 110 Shnon, or 3 : 110 Lecayiu) ; the quantity of cor- 

 puscles is either absolutely increased, or their proportion to 

 the fibrin is larger than in healthy blood : the quantity of solid 

 constituents is also frequently larger than in the normal fluid. 



Physical characters of the blood. 



The clot is most commonly large (but sometimes small), soft, 

 diffluent, and of a dark, almost black red colour: occasionally no 

 clot is formed. The bufiy^ coat is seldom seen, and Avhen it does 

 occur it is thin and soft, or forms a gelatinous particoloured 

 deposit on the clot. The serum is sometimes of a deep yellow 

 tinge, from the colouring matter of the bile, or red, from blood- 

 corpuscles in suspension : the blood has always an alkaline 

 reaction. 



From the numerous analyses of Andral and Gavarret, and 

 from the observations of others, it appears that the blood occurs 

 in a state of h^qnnosis in fever; if, however, the reaction as- 

 sumes the synochal type, or if inflammation of the respiratory 



' Formed from i'tto and Iq, 'ivoq, the fibre of flesh. 



