Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The works of John Hunter / edited by James F. Palmer. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.
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![when we look to see whether or not the blood is huffy, that is, whether there has been a disposition for the red globules to sink faster in such blood; or rather, perhaps, that from such blood being longer in coagu- lating, the red globules have time to sink to the bottom, and leave the coagulable lymph atop free from red globules, and this causes the buff of the blood*. It is by this coagulation also that we perceive whether the blood is cupped or not, that is, whether the coagulum draws to- gether and its edges rise; and then we say that the blood is not only inflammatory, but highly so, showing great strength in the constitution: if, on the other hand, it lies flat in the cup, and makes an even uniform surface, we know it is rather loose in its texture (although it may he still huffy), which shows that the powers of the constitution are weak. The red globules abstracted, or the red blood abstracted from the other parts, need hardly be considered, as they hardly explain anything. The serum also explains but very little ; there may be more or less of it than common, but in itself it explains very little. The power of coagulating in the blood is greater when out of the cir- culation and exposed to common air, even more than when extravasated in some cavities of the body, the necessity or use of which is evident, for by this it becomes more effectual in stopping extravasation. A striking instance of this kind happened in the crural artery of a boar. I cut it through and allowed it to blqed; but before the animal became weak, or at least had the appearance of weakness, the bleeding became less and less, till at last it stopped. On examining the artery, it was found to have a quantity of coagulated blood opposing and surrounding its cut end like a mop, through which the blood could not pass. This power of coagulation, especially when exposed, enables the blood to unite external wounds more readily, and of course preserves the living principle better, and keeps the internal parts from exposure in many wounds which otherwise would become external: by this means they are united by the first intention. * [The huffy coat is undoubtedly mainly due to the cause which Mr. Hunter has assigned. Dr. Davy, however, has remarked, and I think the observation will be borne out by the experience of every one, that this phenomenon is sometimes exhibited, even in a marked degree, although the coagulation shall have taken place more rapidly than usual; nay, a blueish and transparent lymph may often be observed to have separated from the other parts within thirty seconds after the blood is drawn, and consequently much sooner than under ordinary circumstances. There seems, therefore, reason for believing that the huffy coat is referrible in some measure to a greater relative difference in the specific gravities of the coagulable lymph and red globules than natural, as well as to the slowness of the coagulation. Mr. Hunter partly also accounted for the appearance of buffy blood, by supposing that “the blood has an. increased disposition to separate into its component partsa supposition which I cannot but think is borne out by many facts.]](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21996623_0001_0264.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
