The proportion of albumen contained in 1000 parts of blood is capable of varying from 78'270, the maximum, to 57'890, the mini mum. The quantity of fibrin varies from 1.360 to the medium of twenty-two experiments being It appeared to be the greatest in the young or middle aged of the sanguineous tempera ment and in the inflammatory state ; and least in the lymphatic constitution, the aged, and those suffering under congestion and haemorrhage.
The proportion of the red particles varies more remarkably than that of any other constituent of the blood. In sound health the maximum was found to be in 1000 parts of blood and the minimum ; the medium 108-399. In the male, the medium quantity is 132'150, in the female 99-169. It varies considerably with the temperament. In the lymphatic temperament, the medium quantity was found to be, in the male in the female ; in the sanguineons temperament, in the male in the female 126'174. According to this statement there are contained in 1000 parts of blood, in a sanguineous temperament, 19'830 more red particles than in the lymphatic temperament. Both spontaneolis htemorrhage and the artificial abstraction of blood from tho body diminish the relative proportion of the red particles far beyond that of any of the other constituents of the blood. This is found on examination of the blood in the female after an excessive loss of blood; and on examining portions of blood taken from the same body after certain intervals, it was found that a first bleeding furnished in 1000 parte of blood, '792'897 of water, 70'210 of albumen, 9'163 of soluble salts and extraneoua matter, and 127'73 of red particles; but a third bleeding a few days afterwards in the same patient, a female, gave of water, 71'111 of albumen, 7'329 of soluble salts and extraneous matter, and 87'510 of red particles.
According to analyses more recent than those of Le Canu, the following are the ingredients which are found to be present in healthy blood : 1. Water. {Fibrin.
2. Protein- Albumen. Compounds Globulin. Binoxide and Tritoxide of Protein.
3. Colouring5 litematin. Matters A Ihemaphicin. Cholesterin. Serolin.
4. Fats. ' Red and white Solid Fats containing Phosphorus.
I Margaric Acid. Oleic Acid.
5. Iron.
( Albuminate of Soda (I).
' Phosphates of Lime, Magnesia, and Soda. ,t Sulphate of Potash.
6. Salta. [Carbonate-Is of Lime, Magnesia, and Soda (I).
Chlorides of Sodium and Potassium. Lactate of S'xla (I).
01eate and Margamte of Soda (I). Oxygen.
7. Gases. Nitrogen. Carbonic Acid.
8. Urea—a trace.
9. Sugar—a trace (I).
It will be observed that there are notes of interrogation to several of the Paha : the presence of these constituents is denied by Enderlin and Liebig's school generally. Their objection is founded on the cirenmstance, that if these salts were exposed to a red heat, they would become converted into carbonates; and that the ash obtained from the incineration of blood, if examined directly after the opera tion, does not contain those salts. As these experiments have been
performed under Liobig's personal observation, and have been published in his 'Journal; and as further they apply equally to almost all the other fluid,' of the animal body, we shall give the leading grounds on which the presence of alkaline carbonates in the ash is disproved, and its alkalinity is otherwise accounted for :— 1. The ash does not effervesce on the addition of an acid.
2. Hot water poured over the ash becomes alkaline; it holds in solution alkaline plinaphates and sulphate; chloride of sodium, and sometimes chloride of potassium, but no other salts.
a, On the addition of a neutral solution of nitrate of silver to this fluid, there is a yellow precipitate which is partly soluble in nitric acid ; a portion however consisting of chloride of silver remains undissolved. The addition of nitric acid causes no effervescence. , On neutralising the acid filtrate with ammonia, a yellow precipitate of tribasic phosphate of silver (3 A g 0, 00 is thrown down.
b. On treating the aqueous solution of the ash with a solution of chloride of calcium, there is a copious gelatinous precipitate of phos phate of lime (3 C a 0, 0) which dissolves in nitric acid without effervescence. On treating this acid solution with nitrate of silver, and neutralising with ammonia, the tribasic phosphate of silver is precipitated as before. The addition of the chloride of calcium neu tralises the previously alkaline fluid. From 1, we see that the alkaline reaction is not due to the presence of alkaline carbonates; and 2 shows it is not dependent on the presence of free potash or soda, for otherwise the fluid would not be neutralised by the chloride of calcium. Hence the albumen in the blood cannot exist as a soda compound (albuminate of soda); neither can there be alkaline lactates, acetate; nor fatty-acid salts in that fluid. On the above grounds Enderlin conceives that we are justified in assuming that the alkaline reaction of the ash is dependent on the presence of tribasic phosphate of soda (3 N a 0, P, 0,); and as this is the only salt that remains tribasic at a red heat, he concludes that the alkalinity of the blood, as well as of the ash, is dependent on it. Tho manner in which he accounts for the occurrence of carbonates in the analyses of other chemists is very plausible. On exposing the tribasio phosphate of soda to the atmosphere, it becomes converted into 2 N a 0, 11 0, P, 0, and N a 0, C 0„ or phosphate of soda, in which one atom of the base is replaced by an atom of water and carbonate of soda.