January 27, 1872.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
C07 
SPECTRUM ANALYSIS APPLIED TO MEDICINE. 
The following extracts from an address by Dr. Water¬ 
man, on “ Spectral Analysis applied to Practical Medi¬ 
cine,” recently delivered before the New York Academy 
of Medicine, possess an interest that is not confined to 
the medical man, but may be participated in by the 
chemist. We are indebted for them to the Medical 
Times and Gazette. 
“ One word regarding the extraordinary delicacy of 
the spectrum test, which far surpasses every other test 
previously known to us. To give you an idea of its 
sensitiveness, let us take one pound of common salt, and 
divide it into 500,000 parts. One of these minute atoms 
of matter is called a milligram. The experienced che¬ 
mist is enabled to weigh such a minute particle only 
with the most delicate scales, and with extraordinary 
care and acquired dexterity. But with this perform¬ 
ance he has arrived at the limits of possibilities. And 
now let us divide again one of these minute particles into 
•3,000,000 parts, and we obtain an atom of matter so 
minute that the human mind is unable to form any con¬ 
ception of it. Yet we can demonstrate its presence by 
the spectrum test with the utmost certainty and ease. 
The dusting of a book in the remotest comer of this 
room will immediately cause the sodium to dart forth 
with its brilliant yellow line, and thus reveal the pre¬ 
sence of this metal. This delicacy of reaction is not 
•confined to sodium. Lithium gives a reaction with 
a Ioooo oo^ P ar t of a milligram; strontium with 
a T o[f 0 o u th part of a milligram. In the ash of a 
cigar, moistened with hydrochloric acid and held in a 
flame, we obtain simultaneously the spectra of sodium, 
potassium, lithium, caesium, rubidium and calcium.” 
Dr. Waterman pursues the subject of the spectrum 
analysis of the blood at considerable length, and, after 
detailing some of the properties of haemato-crystalline 
•or heemo-globine, goes on to say,— 
“ Spectrum analysis is suggestive as to the proper 
treatment of abnormal conditions depending upon per¬ 
manent or temporary alteration of the blood-crystals. 
We understand now how it happens that when a man 
has inhaled the poisonous fire-damp he may be brought 
to the surface alive, may linger on for days, and yet is 
beyond the possibility to recover, even if he were 
plunged into an ocean of oxygen. Such was the condi¬ 
tion of many of the victims of the late accident in the 
collieries of West Pittston. In these cases the crystal- 
lizable ingredient of the blood had been atfected. We 
know now that the act of breathing is not a mechanical 
but a chemical act; that haemato-crystalline alone pos¬ 
sesses the marvellous capacity to attract and fix the 
cxygen, loosely indeed, so that it may as easily be ex¬ 
changed for carbonic acid. ... We know the strange 
nnd fatal affinity of haemato-crystalline for carbonic 
oxide and other irrespirable gases, wdiich, once attracted 
to it, form inseparable alliances held in deathly em¬ 
brace, use up all oxygen, so necessary to the animal 
economy, to satisfy their own wants, as is the case when 
sulphuretted hydrogen is inhaled, or the deathly mes¬ 
senger deprives the haemato-crystalline of its power and 
capacity to absorb oxygen, and to convert the haemato- 
crystalline into oxyh;emato-crystalline, as is the case 
when carbonic oxide is inhaled; ©r both effects occur at 
once, when, for example, prussic acid has been brought 
into the circulation. . . . 
“I have spoken of transfusion in these and other 
■cases, where the vitality of the haemato-crystalline has 
been suspended or destroyed. This operation is not free 
from danger. It requires proper mechanical means, not 
accessible to all, and neither the instruments nor the 
blood may be at hand when wanted. It also requires 
experience, which not every physician may be able to 
gather. In view of this, I propose to give the haemato- 
crystalline internally, not alone in poisoning with gases, 
but also in cholera and typhus, which affect the integ¬ 
rity of this life-sustaining substance. Solutions of this 
salt may be substituted where transfusion is practised, 
or a small quantity may be hypodermically injected. 
It can now be. purchased in quantity, and experiments 
should be instituted to test the correctness of my pro¬ 
position, which is at least logically and philosophically 
correct. As this substance also possesses the respiratory 
power, it. may prove superior to transfusion. Its inde¬ 
structibility would secure its reaching the circulation in 
an unaltered condition. But, even if it should undergo 
a chemolytic change under the influence of the gastric 
juice, its only possible transmutation would be into 
haematine, which substance, in common with hamiato- 
crystalline, also possesses the breathing power of the 
blood, although, perhaps, in an inferior degree.” 
After describing the spectral appearances produced by 
haemato-crystalline, haematine and cruentine, Dr. Water¬ 
man continues:— 
“ Being in possession of all the modifications to which 
blood can be brought by chemical agencies, we are now 
prepared to understand how this analysis can be applied 
to medicine. First and foremost, its adaptation to 
forensic medicine is to be considered. No matter in 
what manner blood stains have been tampered with, be it 
by maceration, boiling, acids, alkalies or alcohol, the 
spectroscope can tell us all about them. Where no 
change has been attempted, we can show the well- 
known blood bands; where boiling has been resorted to, 
we know that the haemato-crystalline has become coagu¬ 
lated, and we must obtain the haematine tests; so, 
where acids and alkalies have been employed, we do 
well to use the cruentine reaction, with its characteristic 
bands. We have already adverted to the fact that 
haemato-crystalline preserves its integrity almost for 
ever, and that we can always demonstrate it spectrosco¬ 
pically. You may interrupt me by claiming that a good 
microscope will demonstrate blood equally well. To 
this, however, I demur. I am no stranger to the micro¬ 
scope, and know, in the first place, that the defining 
power of the best instruments falls far below the response 
of the spectrum test. But it is entirely useless wffien 
blood has been acted upon by the various chemical 
agents above enumerated, and where the corpuscles 
have been disintegrated and destroyed, leaving no cha¬ 
racteristic by which the microscope could definitely 
demonstrate blood. 
“ Spectrum analysis has thrown light upon the nature 
of bile in disease, and made us acquainted with many of 
its results of decomposition. Normal bile is nearly 
devoid of power to affect the spectrum, and this nega¬ 
tive quality becomes a matter of great diagnostic value. 
. . . Satisfactory results have been obtained from spec¬ 
tral analysis of the urine. The presence of haemato- 
crystalline or haematine is, of course, easily detected. 
In diseases in which an extensive destruction of blood 
corpuscles takes place, I have repeatedly discovered a 
beautiful band near F. at the commencement of the blue 
part of the spectrum. When this band becomes visible 
in the urine it indicates gravity of disease, and is a land¬ 
mark to the practitioner, informing him that the vital 
powers of the patient are fast breaking up and passing 
away. . . . The spectral appearances of urine in cholera 
deserve our special notice. The early urine of patients 
under the influence of this terrible malady contains a 
peculiar principle, which, under the action of certain 
chemical agents, has the property of generating a blue 
and a red colouring-matter. These pigments give pecu¬ 
liar absorption-bands. The blue pigment differs in a 
most decided manner from the blue pigment which is 
derived from indican. It differs also from the blue 
pigment derived from bile, but bears resemblance to the 
alkaline alcoholic solution of haematine. The spectrum 
test may therefore be applied to diagnosticate. true 
endemic cholera from the urine of cholera patients. 
We have also peculiar absorption-bands characteristic of 
cholera stools,—the so-called ‘ rice-water ’ dejections. 
