Oil in Human Blood. 311 



the barrack-room apparently in good health, and was found 

 in the morning lying dead on his couch. He had had a quar- 

 rel, it was stated, the preceding evening, with some of his 

 comrades, and, it was currently surmised, had met with his 

 death by violence through their means. Under this impres- 

 sion, the body was directed to be examined with great care, 

 and a report made of the appearances on dissection. 



The subject was rather corpulent, and, from incipient pu- 

 trefaction, much swelling and discoloration existed about the 

 head and neck. On removing the scull-cap, some blood, which 

 escaped from a sinus wounded in the disseetion, was observed 

 to present a singular oily appearance on its surface. When 

 minutely examined, this was found to proceed from an oil 

 swimming about in the fluid, in the form of small globules. 

 In consistence it resembled olive-oil ; but in colour approached 

 more to that of amber, or of hot drawn castor oil. In the 

 substance of the brain, slight indications of congestion pre- 

 sented themselves, but no decided inflammatory appearance. 

 The abdomen was opened, and the blood in the cava ascen- 

 dens found to contain the same oily matter in great abundance, 

 as was also the case with the femoral and other vessels of the 

 lower extremity ; and it evidently pervaded the whole venous 

 system. In proportion to the mass of blood, it existed in con- 

 siderable quantity, and might be collected by means of a spoon, 

 with great ease. A quantity of the oil thus procured, with 

 some adherent blood, was set aside for analysis ; but putrefac- 

 tion speedily taking place, prevented the examination. No 

 visible disease existed in any of the viscera, whether of the 

 thorax or abdomen. It was afterwards ascertained that this 

 man had been intoxicated the night previous to his decease ; 

 but he was in general of sober habits, and enjoyed a perfectly 

 sound and healthy frame.* — Trans. Med. Soc. Calcutt. 



* Since the above notice was presented to the Calcutta Medical and 

 Physical Society, I have observed in the Edinburgh Philosophical and Me- 

 dical Journals, that a similar oil is described as having been found in the 

 blood of the living subject, by Dr. S. Trail of Liverpool. The oil in these 

 instances was combined with the serum in the form of an emulsion ; and it 

 is not improbable, that during life the same union existed in the case now 

 detailed. Putrefaction, however, having commenced before the body was 

 opened, we had no opportunity of witnessing the natural appearance of the 

 fluid, or of ascertaining the relations which its elementary parts may have 

 borne to each other. Judging from its appearance, I should say it was 

 much more abundant than the proportion stated by Dr.Trail in his cases. 

 The blood, too, was of a thicker consistence, and considerably darker in 

 colour than usual ; and the oil which was swimming on the surface, as stated 

 above, could with ease be separated from the general mass. It may be 

 worthy of remark, that on the evening this notice was made to the Society, 

 a member then present, Mr. Veterinary-Surgeon Hodgson, stated, that he 

 had more than once observed a similar oil in the blood of the horse ; but 

 although his -attention was particularly attracted to the circumstance at the 

 time, he was totally at a loss to account for it. — T. A. 



