The Shape of the Human Red Blood Corpuscle. 167 



101 (1033) 



The shape of the human red blood corpuscle. 

 By H. E. Jordan. 



[From the Department of Anatomy, University of Virginia.] 



In a paper published in 1909 1 I presented evidence in refuta- 

 tion of the new teaching 2 that the normal shape of the mammalian 

 red blood-corpuscle is cup-form. This evidence included data 

 derived from an examination of the capillaries in the omentum 

 of an anesthetized cat, sections of variously fixed tissues, and 

 hanging drop preparations of fresh blood. The latter, sealed and 

 kept at body temperature, were thought to simulate closely actual 

 conditions in the blood vessels of the living animal. The free 

 central corpuscles of such a drop preparation are almost exclusively 

 of the circular biconcave disc form. In view of all the evidence 

 there seemed to be no escape from the conclusion that the bicon- 

 cave disc-shape is the normal, the cup-shape the derived, form 

 of the mammalian erythroplastid. But since opinion still remains 

 divided on the point as to what is the original and normal shape — 

 that is, whether cup or disc — additional evidence is demanded. 

 Cogent confirmatory data accrue from observations of the cor- 

 puscles in the gelatin solution recently devised by Hogan 3 as a 

 substitute for salt solutions for transfusion purposes in clinical 

 cases calling for relief to a fall in blood pressure. The special 

 point of advantage claimed for Hogan's normal-salt-gelatin mixture 

 is that it has the colloidal constitution of blood plasma, and in 

 consequence is not lost from the blood vessels through secretion 

 and osmotic processes as salt solutions are supposed to escape. 



The method of procedure in my investigation was to place the 

 Hogan's solution 4 in an incubator at a temperature of 42 0 C. 

 Hollow ground culture slides, cover slips, a pipette, and a needle 

 were also kept in the same incubator. The excess above the 



1 Anal. Anz., 34: 16. 



' Weidenreich; Lewis; et al. 



5 Journ. Amer. Med. Assoc., 64: 0, 1915. 



4 I am indebted to Dr. H. T. Marshall for assistance in the preparation of this 

 solution. 



