A textbook of human physiology / translated from [the] 6th German edition by W. Stirling.

  • Landois, Leonard
Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A textbook of human physiology / translated from [the] 6th German edition by W. Stirling. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    of the slow decomposition of tlie red corpuscles. Pronounced over-lilling of the vessels causes loss of ajipetite and a tendency to h.vmorrhage of the mucous nieiubranes. (2) Polysemia serosa is that condition in which the amount of serum, i.e., the amount of water in the blood, is increased. This may bo produced artificially by the transfusion of blood- serum from the same species. The water is soon given otf in the urine, and the albumin is decomposed into urea, without, however, passing into the urine. An animal forms more urea in a short time from a quantity of transfused serum than from the same quantity of blood, a proof that the blood-corpuscles remain longer undecomposed than the serum (Furisicr, Landois). If serum from another species of animal be used {e.g., dog's serum transfused into a rabbit), the blood-corpuscles of the recipient are dissolved ; ha'moglobinuria is produced {Ponjick) ; and if there be general dissolution of the corpuscles, death may occur {Landols). (3) Polysemia aquosa is a simple increase of the water of the blood, and occurs temporarily after copious drinking, but increased diuresis soon restores the normal condition. Diseases of the kidneys, which destroy their secreting parenchyma, produce this condition, and often general dropsy, owing to tiie passage of water into the tissues. Ligature of the ureter produces a watery condition of the blood. (4) Plethora polycythsemica, Hyperglobulie. —An increase of the red corpuscles has been assumed to occur when periodically recurring hiemorrhages are interrupted, e.g., menstruation, bleeding from the nose, kc. ; but the increase of corpuscles has not been definitely proved. There is a proved ease of temporary polycytluvniia, viz., when similar blood is transfused, a l>art of the fluid being used up, while the corpuscles remain unchanged for a considerable time. There is a remarkable increase in the number of blood-corpuscles (to 8'82 millions ])cr cubic millimetre) in certain severe cardiac affections where there is great congestion, and nmch water transudes through the vessels. In cases of hemiplegia, for the same reason, the number of corpuscles is greater on the paralysed congested side (l^ensoldt). After diarrhaa, which dimin- ishes the water of the blooil, there is also an increase (Brouardel), and the same is the case after pi ofuse sweating and polyuria. Drugs (alcohol, chloral, aniyl nitrite) which act on the blood- vessels affect the number of cori)uscles ; during contraction of the blood-vessels their number increiises, during dilatation they diminish in number {Andreesen). There is a temporary increase in the hitmatoblasts as a reparative process after severe haemorrhage (§7), or after acute diseases. In cachectic conditions this increase continues, owing to the diminished non-conversion of these corpuscles into red corpuscles. In the last stages of cachexia the number diminishes more and more until the formation of luematoblasts ceases {Haijcn). (5) Plethora hyperalbuminosa is a term applied to the increase of albumins in the plasma, such as occurs after taking a large amount of food. A similar condition is produced by trans- fusing the serum of the same species, whereby, at the same time, the urea is increased. Injec- tion of egg-albumin produces albuminuria {Stokvis, Lehmann). [The subcutaneous injection of human blood has been practised with good results in anaemia {v. Ziemsscii). When detibrinated huvian blood is injected subcutaneously, while its passage into the circulation is aided by massage, it causes neither pain nor inflammation, but the blood of aninuds, and a solution of haimoglobin, always induce abscess [Benczur). Blood is also rapidly absorbed when injected in small amount into the res[)iratory passages.] Mellitsemia.—The sugar in the blood is partly given oif by the urine, and in diabetes meUitus 1 kilo. (22 lbs.) may be given olf daily, when the quantity of urine may rise to 25 kilos. To replace this loss of grape-sugar a large amount of food and drink is reipiired, whereby the urea may be increased threefold. The increased production of sugar causes an increased decomposition of albuminous tissues ; hence the urea is always increased, even though the supply of albumin be insutficicnt. The patient loses flesh ; all the glands, and even the testicles, atroi)hy or degenerate (pulmonary j)hthisis is common) ; the skin and bones become thinner ; the nervous systena holds out longest. The teeth become carious on account of the acid saliva, the crystalline lens becomes turbid from the amount of sugar in the fluid of the eye which extracts water from the lens, and wounds heal badly because of the abnormal condition of the blood. Absence of all carbohydrates in the food causes a diminution of the sugar in the blood, but does not cause it to disappear entirely. [The sugar in the blood is also increased after the inhalation of chloroform or amyl nitrite, and after the use of curara, nitro-benzole, and chloral (§ 175).] An excessive amount of inosite has been found in the blood and urine (§ 267, con- stituting mellituria inosita (Vohl). Lipsemia, or an increase of the Fat in the Blood, occurs after every meal rich in fat {e.g., in sucking kittens), so that the serum may become turbid like milk. Pathologically, this occurs in a high degree in drunkards and in corpulent individuals. When there is great decomposi- tion of albumin in the body (and therefore in very severe diseases), the fat in the blood increases, and this also takes place after a liberal supply of easily decomposable carbohydrates and much fat. After injuries to bones affecting the marrow, not unfrequently fatty granules pass from the marrow through the inijierfect walls of tlie blood-vessels into the blood-stream. These fatty particles may form fat emboli, e.g., in the liver or lungs, or they may appear in the urine. If granules of cinnabar or indigo are injected into the blood, they are taken up by the
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