ON CERTAIN PATHOLOGICAL STATES OE THE BLOOD. 53 
lished in the Lancet, of October 22d. He found the endos- 
motic properties of the chloride, bromide, and iodide of 
potassium, to be as follows : — 
“ f Elevation in inches — 1st hour: chloride, 1*5; bromide, 
5; iodide, 3. 2d hour: chloride, 4; bromide, 2; iodide, 1/ 
Always the chloride occupies the first position, the bromide 
the second, and the iodide the third. As the extraordinary 
confirmation which these results afforded to my conclusions 
was unknown at the time, and not thought of by Dr. Cogswell, 
they are the more valuable. 
“ In conclusion, in my work on Scrofula, I say that the 
merits of cod-liver oil are in all probability c as a tonic, from 
the resinous principle it contains ; by stimulating animal 
heat ; occasionally by acting as an aperient ; and also as a 
deobstruent, more particularly by increasing the quantity of 
urine.’ — Lancet , November 12, 1853.” 
ON CERTAIN PATHOLOGICAL STATES OE THE BLOOD, 
ESPECIALLY CHARACTERISING MANY DANGEROUS DISEASES, 
AND OF THE INTENTIONS AND THE MEANS BY WHICH 
THESE STATES ARE MOST SUCCESSFULLY TREATED. 
By James Copland, M.D., F.R.S., President. 
In this communication, the President gave a description 
of many pathological changes of the blood, leaving the con- 
sideration of the treatment of the diseases caused by them 
until the next meeting. He stated, that the fact of the 
alteration of the circulating fluid in various severe and 
malignant forms of disease had greatly engaged his atten- 
tion, and referred the Society to many articles in his work 
upon practical medicine, entitled, “Abscess, Absorption, 
Erysipelas,” &c. &c. and remarked that his views had been 
long before the profession. He hoped, by bringing them in 
a clear and connected form before the Society, that important 
information might be obtained relative to- the source of 
disease of blood, and of the avenues and channels by which 
this disease was diffused. Particular attention was directed 
to that morbid state of the blood termed “contaminated” or 
“ vitiated.” He divided the origin of these morbid changes 
into six classes. First, from causes acting upon the digestive 
system, and, consequently, upon the vessels connected there- 
