OBSERVATIONS AN» EXPERIMENTS ON PCS. J 7 



IV. 



Observations and Experiments on Pus. By GEORtSE 

 Pearson, M./^.i^./^.S*. 



V/'HEMICAL writers vary in their statements of the pro- Properties of 

 pertifcs of pus ; and they consider, that a farther investiga- "^J^^^a^ o««n 

 tion is req\iisite for the purposes of science. Physicians 

 confess, that, in numeroua cases, they cannot form a satis- 

 factory judgment ot" the nature of diseases, on account of 

 not being able to determine what is, and what is not puru- 

 lent matter; likewise probably, on account of the existence 

 of different kinds, or varieties, at least, of this substance, 

 afforded by different disorders, 



I beg leave, therefore, to submit to this learned Society, 

 my own observations, experiments, and reasoning on this 

 animal matter. 



Section I. Simple, and obvious Properties. 



The different kinds of fluid, commonly considered to be Differentkinds 

 pus, may be distinguished by the following titles: of pus. 



I. The creamlike and equally consistent* 



II. The curdy and unequal in consistence. 

 HI. The serous and thin kind. 



IV. The thick, viscid or slimy. 



1. A pint of the first sort was taken out of the pericar- Properties of 

 dium, after a fatal inflammation of the heart, in St. George's ^^* ^** ^'"^* 

 Hospital, and obligingly sent to me by my colleague. Dr. 



E. N. Bancroft. 



The colour was yellowish—the smell was fleshy when 

 warmed — it was smooth and unctuous to the touch. 



2. The specific gravity of two different poitions was as 

 1630 and 1633, that of distilled water being 1580; each 

 substance being of the same temperature. Serum of the 

 blood of different patients, was touad at the same time to, 

 be 1626, 1627, and l630. Accordingly, the distilled wa- 

 ter being looo, the pus is 1031, and 1033; and the serum 



is 1029, and 1031. ,^ ; 



*'- , ' ■'. 

 * Philos :f fans, far 1810, p. 294. 



Vol. XXX — ^Sbpt. 1811. C «. After 



