ABNORMAL CONDITIONS OF THE BLOOD. 47 



of the slow decomposition of the red corpuscles. Pronounced over-filling of the vessels causes 

 loss of appetite and a tendency to haemorrhage of the mucous membranes. 



(2) Polysomia serosa is that condition in which the amount of serum, i.e., the amount of 

 water in the blood, is increased. This may be produced artificially by the transfusion of blood- 

 serum from the same species. The water is soon given off in the urine, and the albumin is 

 decomposed into urea, without, however, passing into the urine. An animal forms more urea 

 in a short time from a quantity of transfused serum than from the same quantity of blood, a 

 proof that the blood-corpuscles remain longer undecomposed than the serum (Forster, Landois). 

 If serum from another species of animal be used {e.g., dog's serum transfused into a rabbit), the 

 blood-corpuscles of the recipient are dissolved ; hemoglobinuria is produced (Ponfick) ; and if 

 there be general dissolution of the corpuscles, death may occur {Landois). 



(3) Polysemia aquosa is a simple increase of the water of the blood, and occurs temporarily 

 after copious drinking, but increased diuresis soon restores the normal condition. Diseases of 

 the kidneys, which destroy their secreting parenchyma, produce this condition, and often 

 general dropsy, owing to the passage of water into the tissues. Ligature of the ureter produces 

 a watery condition of the blood. 



(4) Plethora polycythaemica, Hyperglobulie. An increase of the red corpuscles has been 

 assumed to occur when periodically recurring hemorrhages are interrupted, e.g., menstruation, 

 bleeding from the nose, &c. ; but the increase of corpuscles has not been definitely proved. 

 There is a proved case of temporary polycythemia, viz., when similar blood is transfused, a 

 part of the fluid being used up, while the corpuscles remain unchanged for a considerable time. 

 There is a remarkable increase in the number of blood-corpuscles (to 8*82 millions per cubic 

 millimetre) in certain severe cardiac affections where there is great congestion, and much water 

 transudes through the vessels. In cases of hemiplegia, for the same reason, the number of 

 corpuscles is greater on the paralysed congested side (Pensoldt). After diarrhoea, which dimin- 

 ishes the water of the blood, there is also an increase (Brouardel), and the same is the case after 

 profuse sweating and polyuria. Drugs (alcohol, chloral, amyl nitrite) which act on the blood- 

 vessels affect the number of corpuscles ; during contraction of the blood-vessels their number 

 increases, during dilatation they diminish in number {Andreesen). There is a temporary increase 

 in the hematoblasts as a reparative process after severe haemorrhage ( 7), or after acute diseases. 

 In cachectic conditions this increase continues, owing to the diminished non-conversion of these 

 corpuscles into red corpuscles. In the last stages of cachexia the number diminishes more and 

 more until the formation of hsematoblasts ceases {Hayen). 



(5) Plethora hyperalbuminosa is a term applied to the increase of albumins in the plasma, 

 such as occurs after taking a large amount of food. A similar condition is produced by trans- 

 fusing the serum of the same species, whereby, at the same time, the urea is increased. Injec- 

 tion of egg-albumin produces albuminuria {Stokvis, Lehmann). 



[The subcutaneous injection of human blood has been practised with good results in anaemia 

 (v. Ziemssen). When defibrinated human blood is injected subcutaneously, while its passage 

 into the circulation is aided by massage, it causes neither pain nor inflammation, but the blood 

 of animals, and a solution of hemoglobin, always induce abscess {Benczur). Blood is also 

 rapidly absorbed when injected in small amount into the respiratory passages.] 



Mellitfiemia. The sugar in the blood is partly given off by the urine, and in "diabetes 

 mellitus" 1 kilo. (2 - 2 lbs.) may be given off daily, when the quantity of urine may rise to 25 

 kilos. To replace this loss of grape-sugar a large amount of food and drink is required, whereby 

 the urea may be increased threefold. The increased production of sugar causes an increased 

 decomposition of albuminous tissues ; hence the urea is always increased, even though the supply 

 of albumin be insufficient. The patient loses flesh ; all the glands, and even the testicles, atrophy 

 or degenerate (pulmonary phthisis is common) ; the skin and bones become thinner ; the 

 nervous system holds out longest. The teeth become carious on account of the acid saliva, the 

 crystalline lens becomes turbid from the amount of sugar in the fluid of the eye which extracts 

 water from the lens, and wounds heal badly because of the abnormal condition of the blood. 

 Absence of all carbohydrates in the food causes a diminution of the sugar in the blood, but 

 does not cause it to disappear entirely. [The sugar in the blood is also increased after the 

 inhalation of chloroform or amyl nitrite, and after the use of curara, nitro-benzole, and chloral 

 ( 175).] An excessive amount of inosite has been found in the blood and urine ( 267, con- 

 stituting mellituria inosita ( Vohl). 



Lipsemia, or an increase of the Fat in the Blood, occurs after every meal rich in fat {e.g., in 

 sucking kittens), so that the serum may become turbid like milk. Pathologically, this occurs 

 in a high degree in drunkards and in corpulent individuals. When there is great decomposi- 

 tion of albumin in the body (and therefore in very severe diseases), the fat in the blood increases, 

 and this also takes place after a liberal supply of easily decomposable carbohydrates and much 

 fat. 



After injuries to bones affecting the marrow, not unfrequently fatty granules pass from the 

 marrow through the imperfect walls of the blood-vessels into the blood-stream. These fatty 

 particles may form fat emboli, e.g., in the liver or lungs, or they may appear in the urine. 

 If granules of cinnabar or indigo are injected into the blood, they are taken up by the 



