Bakewell. — On the Red Corpuscles of the Blood. xxxv 



simply granular, and either round or oval ; there are also many circular 

 bodies containing no apparent nucleus. 



Some specimens will be found to contain small circular bodies, very trans- 

 parent, with a dark nucleus in them. These are often grouped together in 

 twos and threes, and sometimes in larger numbers. They are of a size inter- 

 mediate between that of the free nuclei and that of the red corpuscles, and are 

 evidently nuclei taking upon themselves a cell-wall and contents. In all 

 specimens there are a large number of the brightly refractive particles before 

 spoken of. 



If kept for two nights in contact with the body, being exposed during the 

 day to the ordinary temperature (about 65°), it will be found that every oval 

 corpuscle has disappeared. The entire precipitate is composed of the following 

 elements : circular nuclei in immense numbers grouped together, and forming 

 a jelly-like mass in the albumen. To the naked eye the appearance is very 

 much that of the spawn of some of the fresh- water molluscs. Some of these 

 nuclei are slightly granular, and nearly opaque j mostly, however, they have a 

 very distinct outline, and are transparent. In many may be seen, by a careful 

 management of the light, a cell-wall forming round them, at first barely 

 perceptible, and little larger than the nuclei. But others are found with a 

 more distinct and larger cell-wall, and a considerable number are well-defined 

 transparent cells with a highly refracting nucleus. In the latest stage to which 

 their development can be carried before putrefactive changes occur, the nuclei 

 have become converted for the most part into circular bodies of a fawn colour, 

 like that of red corpuscles, some nucleated, some not ; some spherical or nearly 

 so, others thick disks. Some of these are elongated or pyriform, others 

 apparently budding. With these are found groups of nuclei, and some of the 

 transparent nucleated cells which have not yet taken to themselves the 

 colouring matter of the blood. It seems as if these circular fawn coloured 

 bodies would, under favouring cii'cumstances, develop into the regular oval 

 corpuscles of the blood, as they have a tendency to assume that shape. (See 

 Plate XXIX., R) 



The steps of the process seem to be as follows : — 



1. Swelling of the whole corpuscle, but especially of the nucleus. 



2. Elongation of the nucleus, and commencing division into generally two, 

 but sometimes four, parts. 



3. Division of the nucleus, and separation of the parts within the wall of 

 the corpuscle. 



4. Rupture of the wall and escape of the nuclei. 



5. Shrinking, and ultimate fatty metamorphosis of the corpuscle. 



6. Agglomeration of the free nuclei into groups or masses. 



7. The nuclei take on them a transparent jeUy-like envelope, which 



