ACTION OF REAGENTS ON RED CORPUSCLES. 



229 



the fluid does not depend on any change in the oxyhsemoglobin, 

 but merely on its being dissolved out of the disks. This process, 

 which is commonly spoken of as rendering the blood " lakey," 

 may be brought about by the following means. (1) The addi- 

 tion of about i its bulk of distilled water, to dissolve the coloring- 

 matter out of the stroma, which may then be rendered obvious 

 by a weak solution of iodine. (2) By the addition of chloroform, 

 ether, neutral alkaline salts, or alkalies. (3) Bypassing repeated 

 strong induction shocks through the blood. (4) By rapidly freez- 

 ing and thawing the blood several times. 



FIG. 104. 



Malassez's Apparatus for the Enumeration of Blood-Corpuscles. A. Mea- 

 suring and mixing pipette. B. Flattened and calibrated capillary tube. 



All of these processes produce the same effect, viz., the red 

 matter leaves the stroma intact. Solutions of urea, bile acids, 

 and heat of about 60 C. seem to destroy the disks, and thus re- 

 move the coloring-matter. Carbolic, boracic, and tannic acids 

 cause the coloring-matter to coagulate and localize itself either 

 at the centre or margin of the corpuscles. (Fig. 103.) 



The number of disks in the blood of man is enormous, namely, 

 in a cubic millimetre of blood, about 5 millions for males and 



