116 ORGANISED FLUIDS. 



stitution of red blood corpuscles is also influenced by the 

 introduction into the stomach of remedial agents. 



Schultz relates the fact that the corpuscles of the frog, 

 in the mouth of which during life iodine had been placed, 

 resisted for a longer time the action of water.* The truth of 

 this most interesting and important observation I have myself 

 verified. 



The blood corpuscles of a frog, which was subjected to the 

 vapour of iodine, underwent no appreciable change of form 

 in water for nearly an hour during which they were ob- 

 served, a time more than sufficient to ensure the complete 

 change of shape and subsequent disintegration of the blood 

 discs of a frog not similarly treated. 



It may be observed that in the case related, starch failed 

 to detect the presence of iodine, although this was set free 

 by previously dissolving the corpuscles by means of acetic acid. 



After the relation of the above facts, it is evident that 

 remedial agents do affect in several important particulars the 

 blood corpuscles of the living animal, and it is further pro- 

 bable that a considerable proportion of their remedial influence 

 is dependant upon the nature and extent of their power in 

 modifying the red blood disc. 



The importance of a Microscopic Examination of the Blood in 

 Criminal Cases. 



In criminal cases it is sometimes a matter of the highest 

 importance to the furtherance of the ends of justice, that the 

 nature of certain stains, observed on the clothes of an accused 

 person, should be clearly ascertained. 



The fact usually to be determined is, whether the stains in 

 question are those of blood or not, Now in the decision of 

 this important matter, the microscope comes to our aid in a 

 manner the most decisive and convincing. 



If the stain be a blood stain, and if its examination be 

 properly conducted, the microscope will lead to the detection 

 in it of the blood corpuscles themselves both white and red. 



* Das System der Circulation. Stuttgard, 1836. p. 19. 



