riBRlNE IN THE HUMAN BODY. l79 



Upon three occasions, I have indeed found a genuine fibrinous 

 •clot, in blood coming from the liver, very small it is true ; but the 

 conditions under which this has been noticed render it highly pro- 

 bable that the functions of the liver were at that time partly sup- 

 pressed. Moreover, after death the blood of the supra hepatic veins 

 is usually found coagulated or coagulable ; due to the admixture of 

 the blood from the liver with that of the vena cava. 



Nevertheless it is shown, by the analyses of the eminent chemist 

 of Leipzig, and by my own observation, that during life and in a 

 aormal condition, the blood of the supra hepatic veins is devoid of 

 fibrine, or contains only an inappreciable quantity, showing that this 

 element of the blood is transformed. in the liver; or loses, at least, its 

 chief characteristic property. 



The same may be said in reference to the fibrine of the blood 

 passing through the kidneys, it almost wholly or entirely disappears ; 

 F. Simon asserts that fibrine is not to be found in the blood of the 

 renal vein. Claude Bernard has also stated that this element is 

 wanting in the blood of the renal vein. I have made researches 

 upon this subject, and have very frequently obtained the negative 

 result recorded by Simon and Bernard. But it is well to know that 

 there exist in this matter, sources of error, which, if not avoided 

 would infallibly lead to the conclusion, that there is as much, or 

 nearly as much, fibrine in the blood of the renal vein as in arterial 

 blood. If, in order to obtain the blood coming from the kidneys, we 

 wound the renal vein, without having previously placed a ligature 

 upon it at its opening into the vena cava, we obtain a mixed blood, 

 a large part of which comes from the vena cava, and must contain 

 fibrine. On the other hand, it sometimes happens, that the urinary 

 secretion is suddenly suppressed when the abdomen is opened. 

 Under these circumstances, the blood returning from the kidneys, 

 has assumed the venous colour, contains fibrine and speedily coagu- 

 lates. After death in the case of man and other animals the blood 

 of the renal veins is found coagulated or coagulable. 



In order to prove that the venous blood from the kidneys does not 

 usually contain fibrine, or only a trace of it, it is necessary, 

 immediately after opening the abdomen to seize with the forceps the 

 two extremities of the renal vein. 



By this method, it is true, only a very small quantity of blood is 

 obtained, but it can be satisfactorily shewn that this blood is neither 



