68 Researches Regarding Cholera : The Blood. [part \. 



during life in any instance, although they were carefully searched for under powers 

 ranging from the \ to the X2 ^ iTnmersion* 



There were, however, as a rule, numerous specimens of minute irregularly 

 rounded bodies giving a refraction like that of the leucocytes, and varying 

 considerably both in size and form. They occurred sometimes in little patches 

 or heaps, and in other cases, were irregularly scattered over the field. No structure 

 could be detected in them, and they appeared to be mere fragments or particles 

 of bioplasm (See Plate ; Fig. 1). 



All these bodies, red cells, leucocytes and minute bioplasts, were spread out 

 in a medium precisely similar to that observed in normal blood, when prepared 

 with osmic acid, almost homogeneous, in some places very finely molecular, and 

 marked by faint delicate curved lines. 



Preparations of blood obtained after death and treated in the same way 

 presented precisely the same features. The only characteristic distinguishing them 

 from the most healthy blood, was the presence of numerous bioplastic fragments 

 described above, and even this did not appear to be constant. Any discussion of 

 the probable nature of these bodies will be better deferred until a description 

 of the changes occurring in the blood have been described. 



Specimens of blood to which no re-agent had been added, and others treated 

 with acetate of potash or acetate of soda, only differed from those treated with osmic 

 acid in showing the minute bioplastic bodies less constantly and distinctly. 



2. — Appearances presented by specimens of blood in wax-cells. 



When examined immediately after preparation, and perfectly recent, these, 

 as a rule, presented nothing noteworthy or in any way characteristic. In one or 

 two instances the serum was stained with the colouring matter of the red corpuscles, 

 but in general it was perfectly clear, free of staining and molecules or particles. 

 The serum at first appeared as a very narrow ring around the corpuscles, but, 

 as a rule, this rapidly widened as the mass of the latter contracted, and ultimately 

 it formed a wide clear area of fluid around the clot. The number of white 

 corpuscles at first visible was small and not noteworthy, but with the formation 

 of the ring of clear serum a series of most remarkable phenomena gradually presented 

 itself. Normal sized white corpuscles began to migrate into the fluid, but in addition 

 to these, and in far greater numbers and activity, were much larger and more 

 delicate bioplastic bodies ; cells they were not, for they had not at this time the 

 faintest differentiation of wall, contents, or nucleus. They were simply masses of fluid 



* Latterly a -^^ objective by Powell and Lealand was employed, but we confess that, notwithstanding 

 the most careful corrections being made for thickness of covering-glass, etc., we found it practically inferior 

 to the f and ^'5 a ivum'rsion of Ross. We are, however, in daily expectation of a ^5 objective by th& 

 former distinguished makers, a glass having the reputation of being the most perfect hitherto constructed. 



