396 
Proceedings of the Boyal Society 
mosis and exosmosis, and rupture of the corpuscles, and the exclu- 
sion of their nuclei. 
In the second, On the Changes which take place in the Blood 
when excluded from air,” it is shown that these changes are much 
the same as when blood is exposed to the air, the difference be- 
ing chiefly in degree as to time, the accordance, it is inferred, 
owing to the presence of oxygen in the blood itself, the retained 
oxygen being sufficient to originate putrefactive decomposition. 
In the third, “ On the Action of the Air-pump on the Blood,” it 
is stated by the author that the results obtained were more various 
than he could have expected. Some of them were the following : — 
Of the several animals of which the blood was tried (the common 
fowl, the duck, sheep, bullock, pig), least air was procured from that 
of the common fowl ; more from the blood of animals killed after 
feeding than after fasting ; more from venous than arterial blood ; 
none from serum of the blood ; this last result confirmatory of the 
inference that the air — the extricable air — is chiefly derived from 
the red corpuscles, &c. 
In the fourth, “ On the Effects of a Low Temperature on the 
Blood,” results are described showing that the freezing of the blood 
does not preserve it from change of composition, ammonia having 
been found evolved from it when frozen ; and that evolution of the 
volatile alkali takes place from stable dung when frozen, and from 
some other manures ; hut that muscle (meat) in its frozen state does 
not appear to be liable to the same change. 
In the fifth, “ On the Action of Ammonia on the Blood,” an 
account is given of the effects of different proportions of aqua 
ammonim on the entire blood, and on its fibrin, its serum, and red 
corpuscle. The results obtained were such as to confirm the infer- 
ence that the coagulation of the blood is nowise owing to escape of 
the volatile alkali, a very large proportion of ammonia not prevent- 
ing coagulation. 
In the sixth, ‘‘ On the Coagulation of the Blood,” some remarks are 
offered on one of the latest hypotheses brought forward to account 
for the phenomenon, the hypothesis of Professor Lister tending 
to show that that hypothesis is not sufficiently founded on fact, and 
concluding with the expression of belief, that the vera causa of the 
change is still to be discovered. 
