The Blood. 



41 



Table showing the Amount of Potassium, Sodium, and Chu »ri» b 

 Present in 100 Parts of the Inorganic Matters or Blood 

 Cells and Plasma. 



To this we may add, from Bunge's observations, for the 

 horse, ox, and pig : 



According to C. Schmidt the blood contains chlorides, 

 sulphates, phosphates, potassium, sodium, calcium phos- 

 phate, magnesium phosphate, and iron, which latter is 

 contained in the haemoglobin. There is no iron in the 

 serum of the blood of any animal. The blood analyses 

 quoted at the end of this chapter will give some idea of 

 how these salts are distributed, and the proportion in 

 which they exist. 



The use of the salts is to assist in secretion, repair, and 

 disintegration. The growth of the solid tissues of the 

 body absolutely depends on the inorganic material sup- 

 plied by the blood. 



Water free from salts is destructive to protoplasm, no 

 doubt, therefore, one important function of the salts in 

 the blood is to maintain the vitality of the tissues. Sodium 

 chloride is here especially valuable, and its extensive 



