714 
PROFESSOR HARLEY ON THE INFLUENCE OF 
animal, it will be found that within half an hour the blood will assume a brilliant scarlet 
hue. If the vessel containing it be now agitated, so as to mix the blood with atmospheric 
air, a quantity of colouring-matter adheres to the sides of the glass, and on allowing it 
again to stand for a few minutes, a red somewhat flocculent precipitate is deposited. 
This precipitate is not hsematin alone. On the contrary, it consists of a dirty red-coloured 
protein substance, whereas the dissolved or suspended pigment has a vermilion hue. If 
the blood be kept at rest for some hours — laid aside during the night — it will to a certain 
extent lose its brilliant colour, and assume that of the red precipitate previously spoken 
of. At the same time it will be found to solidify into a gelatinous sticky paint-like mass. 
If instead of 5 per cent., 50, or still better 100 per cent, of chloroform, be added to venous 
blood either defibrinated or non-defibrinated, it causes it at once to assume the arterial 
hue, and this is still more marked if the vessel be well agitated. The blood rapidly 
solidifies and retains its vermilion tint for many hours, even days. It not unfrequently 
happens that blood to which chloroform has been added crystallizes on solidifying, more 
especially when only 5 per cent, of chloroform is used. 
Serum is not solidified by chloroform in the same way, but it deposits a white preci- 
pitate. 
2nd. Microscopical appearances presented by blood after being acted upon by chloro- 
form. 
If 5 per cent, of chloroform be added to blood, and the mixture well shaken, it will be 
found on examining it with the microscope that, although very many of the red corpuscles 
have disappeared, their walls having been dissolved, and their contents escaped, the great 
majority of them remain intact. Even 100 per cent, of chloroform fails to destroy totally 
the blood-cells. Great numbers of the red cells are, however, destroyed, and their contents 
diffused throughout the liquid. It is indeed the contents of the red corpuscles that 
crystallize. The crystals are in many cases quite red. They are prismatic 
in shape, and about four times as long as they are broad. The crystals 
are always most readily obtained from the blood of animals that have 
been poisoned with chloroform, but only after an additional quantity is 
added. They are insoluble in chloroform, ether, alcohol, and water. 
3rd. Chemical action of chloroform on blood. 
Two equal portions of defibrinated and arterialized ox-blood, equal to 
62 grammes each, were placed in receivers with 100 per cent, of atm os 
pheric air, and kept in a room of moderate temperature during twenty- 
four hours. Both bloods were treated precisely alike, except that while the 
one was kept in its normal state, the other had three drops of chloroform added to it. 
Gas from pure ox-blood, twenty-four hours’ action with 100 per cent, of atmospheric 
air : — 
No. 56. — In 100 parts of air. 
Oxygen. . . . 10-42} 
Carbonic acid . . 5-05} T ° tal 0X ^ en 1547 
Nitrogen . . . 84-53 
Fig. 3. 
Crystals obtained 
from blood by 
means of chlo- 
roform. 
