An Uxprri)iie)Ual Inquiry into ScuTvy. 



261 



have with the decrease in the specific gravity of the blood a diminution 

 in the total solids, as one naturally would expect. 



The Proteids of the Blood. — The total quantity of proteids in the 

 blood was estimated by precipitating a given quantity of blood in 

 15 volumes of absolute alcohol. After allowing it to stand some days, 

 with frequent stirring, the precipitate was collected on a weighed filter 

 paper, and di'ied, &c., in the usual manner. By this method it was 

 foimd that the normal blood contained 18 '2 7 per cent, of proteids, while 

 in the case of the two monkeys fed on tainted meat the quantity of 

 proteids was only 12*37 and 15-69, so that there is a very marked 

 decrease in the quantity of proteids in the blood. 



The Qnantitij of Fihrine. — This M^as estimated by the method of 

 Hoppe-Seyler in one case. It is seen that in the normal monkey there 

 is 0*52 per cent, of fibrine in the blood, while in the case of the monkey 

 sufiering from scurvy the fibrine was no less than 0'76, so that we see 

 there was a very marked increase in the quantity of fibrine. 



Chalvet, in his. analysis of a case of scurvy, comparing it with 

 healthy blood in -the normal individual, found the fibrine 0*216, while 

 in the case of scurvy it was O'-lS-l-. 



Busk, in three well-marked cases of scurvy which occurred in the 

 " Dreadnought " hospital ship, found the fibrine in excess of the normal 

 amount, the least being 0*45 and the greatest 0*65 per cent. 



Tlie Tiiiie of Coagulation. — The time that it took for the blood to 

 coagulate was estimated by Professor Wright's tubes, and it is seen 

 that in the normal monkeys this is three minutes, while in the case of 

 the monkeys sufi'ering from scurvy it was found to be one and two 

 minutes respectively. 



The increase in the quantity of fibrine (hyperinosis) with the shorten- 

 ing of the time of coagulation is what one commonly finds in hydr£emia 

 in the human subject, and may therefore in all probability be put down 

 to the same cause. 



TJie Qmuititjj of Nitrogen. — The total quantity of nitrogen in the 

 blood was estimated by the method of Kjeldahl, and the average of 

 two analyses is given as before. In the normal monkey it is seen that 

 the total nitrogen was 2*72, while in the case of the monkey sufi'ering 

 from scurvy, in which it was analysed, it was 2*31 per cent. There is, 

 therefore, a small decrease in the quantity of nitrogen, this decrease 

 corresponding to the decrease in the quantity of proteids, and as this 

 was only analysed in one monkey, it is as well perhaps not to discuss 

 any theories as to.its significance. 



The Ash of the Blood. — -The estimation of the ash was carried out in 

 the ordinary way, but only in the case of one monkey suffering from 

 the effects of tainted meat. It is seen that in the case of the normal 

 monkey the ash was 0*75, while in the case of the monkey fed with 

 tainted meat it was 0*79 per cent. 



