182 FIBRINE IN THE HUMAN BODY. 



coeliac axis in the same time aa 784 : the square of the aortic diame- 

 ter, is to 25, the square of the diameter of the coeliac axis : — 



12300 : a; :: 784 : 25 



12300 X 25 



X = tjK7 = 392 kilogrammes. 



About 392 kilogrammes of blood flow in 24 hours thereforej. 

 througb the coeliac axis. 



A similar calculation gives for the superior mesenteric artery, 384 

 kilogrammes, and for the inferior mesenteric 343 kilogrammes. 



Eespecting this latter artery, since a portion of its blood does not 

 traverse the liver, we will subtract 43 from the 343 kilogrammes, 

 and consequently admit that only 300 kilogrammes of blood are sup- 

 lied to the liver by the inferior mesenteric artery : on adding these 

 quantities of blood which the liver receives daily by the three chan- 

 nels mentioned, we find, — 



1. From the coeliac axis 392 kilogrammes. 



2. From' the superior mesenteric 384 " 



3. From the inferior mesenteric 300 " 



Total 1076 



Let it be observed that this sum is assuredly not too high, because, 

 in order to arrive at it, very low figures have been assumed (72 pul- 

 sations in a minute, and 120 grammes as the amount of blood leav- 

 ing the left ventricle at each systole). 



It may be therefore held that in the adulb probably at least 1076. 

 kilogrammes of blood enter the liver daily. Admitting that there 

 are only 2.5 parts in a thousand of fibrine in the blood, from the 

 three arteries which supply the liver, it is evident that this blood 

 loses 2690 grammas of fibrine, in one day, whilst traversing the 

 digestive organs and the liver. 



It is diflBcult to decide whether this amount of fibrine undergoes- 

 transformation solely in the liver or partly here and partly elsewhere; 

 but certainly the liver is the chief site of this transformation » 

 Nothing can be learnt with certainty from the analyses of the blood 

 of the vena portse which shew that it contains relatively less fibrine 

 than arterial blood, and the blood of the superficial veins, because of 

 the changed condition of the blood of the vena portse, due to the 

 absorption of water, salts, &c* 



