ANALYSIS Of THE BLOOD OF A HORSE. 
699 
Condition of the Blood six hours after the Nerves were divided: 
Water .... 795,015 
Fixed matters in the Serum . 87,273 
Fibrine . . . . 3,669 
Colouring particles . . 114,043 
1000,000 
Hence it appears, that “ the lung is the seat of sanguineous 
combustion so long as it is under the influence of normal 
life; but has no such operation in the contrary case, but 
degenerates into an inert and passive organ. The blood is 
one of the agents of combustion, and its albumen is the 
combustible organic principle. In perfect respiration, water 
and fibrine are formed out of the albumen; but respiration, 
modified by the division of the pneumogastrics, has now the 
effect only of causing the exhalation of a part of the water 
contained in the blood, without producing any fresh (water), 
and without altering the albumen, which is one of the prin¬ 
cipal promoters of it.” 
M. Clement observed, at setting out, the remarkable vigour 
of the subject of experiment; and to this he again calls notice, 
for the double purpose of contrasting his former condition 
with that he is now in, some time after the division of the 
nerves; and of mentioning the coincidence of this loss of 
condition with the red arterial character of the blood taken 
from the jugular, when it was opened the second time, six 
hours after the first bloodletting. 
The loss of condition and prostration of strength the 
horse experienced after the division of his nerves, were 
evident indications of the rapid extinction of life at once in 
the muscular system and the lung. And this appears con¬ 
firmed by the arterial character of the venous blood. 
After division of the pneumogastric nerves, the blood, in 
traversing the lung, still turns red from contact with air, the 
same as it would in a glass vessel, from absorption of oxygen; 
and, though this absorption be less abundant than under 
normal respiration, it nevertheless takes place, which nobody 
doubts. Now, supposing this blood circulates through 
organs still retaining their vitality, it will impart to them 
what little oxygen it has imbibed, and return black. Whereas, 
on the other hand, when it comes to circulate through or¬ 
gans whose vitality, like that of the lung, is lost, it no longer 
parts with its oxygen, but returns red through the veins; 
presenting the character of arterial blood '—Becueil de Med. Vet., 
Juillet , 1852. 
