196 Mr. Gulliver’s Ohseivations on the Blood Corpu&des 
exhibit a comprehensive view of the results, particularly as 
regards the size and figure of the blood particles in the dif- 
ferent subdivisions of the mammiferous animals. 
It is very desirable that the blood of the larger species of the 
cetaceous animals should be examined ; for although the cor- 
puscles of the Mouse (13.) are bigger than those of the Horse 
(34?.), and there is generally no relation between the size of 
the animal and that of its blood particles, yet they are larger 
in the Elephant (51.), as far as we at present know, than in 
any other mammal. The corpuscles of the Goat were the 
smallest known to physiologists before my observation of the 
singularly minute blood disks of the Napu Musk Deer 
In some instances the corpuscles are found to be a little 
larger in the dead than in the living animal, although they may 
subsequently become smaller, in consequence of the removal 
of their colouring matter by the serum. It will be perceived 
that many observations have been made on the blood after 
death ; these have led me to ascertain that the particles are 
subject to modifications in size, and in some degree in shape, 
as compared with those of the living animal ; and similar va- 
riations are often observable during life in disease. Besides 
the instances in which these facts are barely indicated in the 
preceding communications, it may be mentioned that I have 
seen the changes in the human blood particles. Thus in a 
man affected with dropsy, in connexion with granular de- 
generation of the kidney, some blood was drawn from a vein 
of the arm, and the corpuscles found to differ remarkably 
from those of the healthy subject. Though examined before 
the blood was perfectly cold, as well as after the lapse of a day, 
their size was singularly irregular, generally smaller than na- 
tural, having an average diameter of only l-4?400th of an inch. 
But as the morbid conditions of the blood corpuscles are pro- 
bably more extensive and important than has been hitherto 
supposed, this is a novel and interesting subject for further 
and special inquiry ; and it is merely alluded to at present as 
one of the many circumstances under which the size, form, 
and general appearance of the disks are liable to variations, 
which will doubtless attract the attention of pathologists 
now that the necessity of minute researches concerning the 
morbid as well as healthy fluids has been so fully recog- 
nised. 
With regard to the blood corpuscles of the foetus as com- 
pared with those of the mother, I apprehend that I have de- 
See Dublin Med. Press, No. 27, 1839, and Annals of Nat. Hist., 
dc. Dec. 1839. 
