144 THE BLOOD. 



; others have denied this. d M. Raspail says that the tem- 

 perature falls.* 5 



" The crassamentum may, by agitation or repeated ablution, 

 be easily separated into two constituent parts, the cruor, which 

 gave to the blood its purple colour and the Jibrin, which on 

 washing is forsaken by the cruor, and called, from its greater 

 solidity, the basis of the crassamentum. 



" Besides the watery fluid first mentioned, these are the three 

 constituents of the blood, viz. the serum, the cruor, and the 

 fibrin, of each of which we shall presently treat more particu- 

 larly. These, however, while perfectly recent, and in possession 

 of their native heat, are intimately mixed, and form an equable, 

 homogeneous fluid. Their relative proportion is astonishingly di- 

 versified, according to age, temperament, diet, and similar circum- 

 stances which constitute the peculiar health of each individual." 



The quantity of blood in a well-formed adult is estimated by 

 " Allen, Mullen, and Abildgaard, at little more than 8 pounds; 

 by Harvey, at 9; Borelli,20; Haller, 30; Riolan,40; Hamberger, 

 80; and Keil, 100. The former are evidently nearer the truth." 

 M. Le Canu says, that the quantity of its water, in a healthy per- 

 son, varies from 853-135 to 778-625 in 1000 parts, and the medium 

 quantity is greater in females and in the phlegmatic tempera- 

 ment : of its albumen, from 78-270 to 57'890, and has no relation 

 to sex, age, or temperament ; of its Jibrin dry, from 1-360 to 2-236, 

 is the greatest in the young or middle-aged, in the sanguine tem- 

 perament, and in the inflammatory state ; least in the phlegmatic 

 temperament, the aged, and under congestion or hemorrhage : of 

 its globules, from 14-8*450 to 68'349 being the most remarkable 

 variation is greatest in males, the same between the ages of 

 twenty and sixty, much greater in the sanguineous than the 

 phlegmatic temperament, and much less after losses of blood, 

 which do not affect the quantity of the albumen/ 



c Dr. Gordon, Annals of Philosophy, vol. iv. Scudamore, An Essay on the 

 Blood, 1824, p. 68. sqq. 



d Dr. J. Davy, Journal of Science and Arts, No. iv. c 1. c. p. 361. 



f Journal de Pharmacie, Sept. and Oct. 1831. In various diseases, Dr.Clanny, 

 of Sunderland, and Dr. Stevens, have found the salts of the blood exceedingly- 

 deficient. In fevers, the proportion of water increases as the disease advances, 

 and that of the salts diminishes ; and it is said that, in the latter stages, the ex- 

 hibition of neutral salts is very beneficial, as recommended by Boerhaave, Hux- 

 ham, &c. in the early part and middle of the last century, and Dr. Stevens at 

 present in his Observat. on the healthy and diseased Properties of the Blood. Lon- 

 don, 1832. Dr. Priestley remarked that different specimens of blood differed in 

 their susceptibility of change of colour from air. Ph. Tr. 1776. 



