Blood-corpuscles of xi. tridactijlum, &c. By Dr. Schmidt. 73 
observation to be erroneous.* If the latter investigator is right, of 
what do those minute colourless crystals, observed in the fresh 
coloured blood- corpuscle of the Amphiuma, consist ? 
It remains to be mentioned that I have not invariably suc- 
ceeded in producing the phenomenon in question in these blood- 
corpuscles. The failure, I suppose, was occasioned by not having 
applied the reagent soon enough, or else too late, as respected the 
action of the water upon the blood-corpuscles ; or perhaps the 
strength of the solution, to ascertain which I took no care, may 
have been the cause. In some cases the corpuscles appear dotted 
over with minute granules ; these belong to the liquor sanguinis 
surrounding them, and are produced by the action of the chromic 
acid. 
When the blood-corpuscles of the Amphiuma are exposed to 
the action of chloroform vapour, they become entirely discoloured 
in about two minutes. When exposed somewhat longer, their 
outlines become very faint, but may always be discovered in the 
form of a double contour by close examination with a first-class 
objective ; frequently they are hidden by the colouring matter 
escaped from the corpuscles into the liquor sanguinis. The nucleus 
is not affected by the vapour of the chloroform ; on the contrary, it 
is rendered more distinct (Fig. 25). 
In exposing the blood-corpuscles to the action of water, after 
they have been discoloured by the vapour of chloroform, almost the 
same changes will be observed as when treated with water in their 
fresh condition. They then appear clear, bordered by a faint 
double contour ; they do not swell, but rather appear to diminish 
in size, owing to the escape of their contents by the action of this 
fluid. The nucleus, however, is seen to swell very considerably ; 
in some cases to such an extent as nearly to fill the interior of the 
corpuscle. At the same time, by the dissolution of its granules, its 
contents appear homogeneous and very pale. If at this stage the 
preparation is subjected to the action of a weak solution of chromic 
acid, the outlines of the blood-corpuscles will appear more distinct, 
but not as dark as when in their fresh condition and when they are 
only acted on by water. 
When a fresh specimen of blood is treated with chloroform 
liquid, the blood-corpuscles, besides being rendered colourless, as in 
the previous case, become considerably reduced in size ; their dia- 
meter scarcely exceeding nim. in length, and mm. in 
breadth. Being bordered by distinct, though pale double contours, 
they contain numerous well-defined minute granules ; their form is 
now more or less oval or even irregular. Their nuclei also are 
distinguished by very distinct dark double contours, and contain a 
number of larger and smaller pale granules (Fig. 26), while their 
* Kuelme, ‘ Lehrbuch der Physiologischen Chemie,’ p. 207. 
