28 CHEMICAL PHYSIOLOGY. 



within the living blood vessels, shows the same bands, 

 we can assume that hematocrystalline is present in it 

 as such, and not formed by the process of preparing 

 the crystals. Hematocrystalline can be deprived of its 

 oxygen, and then its spectrum changes to that of 

 reduced hematocrystalline. Shaking with oxygen, 

 restores the double-banded spectrum. The two bands 



up into albu- 



therefore belong to arterial blood, the one band to 



venous blood (Stokes). Hematocrystalline contains as 

 proximate constituents an albuminous body, which 

 after separation remains amorphous and colourless, 

 and hematine, which retains the colouring power, the 

 spectral influence upon light, and the iron of the 

 original substance, though all varied in kind, proportion 

 and quantity. Hematine has an atomic weight of 

 about 620, and from 7*5 to 8 per cent, of iron. It 

 occurs together with hematocrystalline in the urine in 

 cruenturesis (paroxysmal hematuria). It yields 

 many remarkable products of decomposition. Its 

 spectra in various solvents and in the reduced state, 

 and the spectra of the new derivates, are very charac- 

 teristic. The optical and chemical phenomena of 

 hematocrystalline and hematine are applicable to 

 medico -legal research, as affording the most certain 

 diagnosis of blood upon the smallest quantities of 

 material. A diminution of hematocrystalline in the 

 body constitutes the disease termed " chlorosis" or 

 " anaemia." It is either a specific ailment, or a sym- 

 ptom and consequence of chronic disorders, or acute, 

 particularly tropical fevers. 

 Tiood C -co C r- d Besides hematocrystalline the blood corpuscles con- 



puscles. 



