The chemistry of nerve-degeneration / by F.W. Mott and W.D. Halliburton.

  • Frederick Walker Mott
Date:
1901
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The chemistry of nerve-degeneration / by F.W. Mott and W.D. Halliburton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    crystals of a light yellow tint, which we were uiiahle to assert positively cf>nsistecl of the double salt of choline. Venesection is so seldom employed as a therapeutic measure that since then we have had comparatively few opportunities of examining the blood removed during life. The specimens we have examined are the following :— (1.) Blood from a chronic case of Beri-beri. (2.) Blood from an acute case of the same disease. (3.) Blood from a case of the same disease, but we were not informed whether it was acute or chronic. In all these three cases, the blood was removed during life; it was immediately mixed with excess of alcohol, and forwarded to us. We have to thank Dr. Patrick Manson, F.R.S., for the two first specimens, and Dr. Hamilton Wright, Director of the ‘ Pathological Laboratory of the Federated Malay States,’ for the third specimen. (4.) Blood from a case of Disseminated Sclerosis (early stage) which was under the charge of one of us (F. W. M.). This was removed during life by venesection. (5.) Blood from a case of Combined Sclerosis. This was removed very soon after death. We have to thank Dr. Batten for supplying us with this specimen. (6.) Blood from a case ot Alcoholic Neuritis, removed very soon after death by one of us (F. W. M.). It will be seen that the diseases from which these patients suffered Avere very various, but all possess in common the feature Avhich is also present in General Paralysis, of an extensive degenerative change in either the central or peripheral parts of the nervous system. Before passing on to the study of our results, it Avill be best to state rather more fully the methods we have adopted. The blood was mixed with six or eight times its volume of absolute alcohol, and filtered. The alcoholic filtrate was evaporated to dryness at 40° C., and the residue taken up with absolute alcohol. After filtration, the alcoholic solution Avas again evaporated to dryness, and the residue again taken up with absolute alcohol. This Avas repeated twice more, in order to ensure the absence of potassium salts. The final alcoholic solution Avas divided into tAvo parts A and B. Part A Avas used for chemical examination. Part B Avas used for the physiological test. To part A, platinum chloride dissolved in alcohol was added, and the precipitate that formed Avas alloAved to settle, and Avashed by decantation Avith absolute alcohol. It Avas then dissolved in 15 per cent, alcohol. It did not all dissolve, so the platinum chloride must have precipitated substances other tha/i choline. The solution was freed from the insoluble residue by filtration, and then evaporated in a Avatch glass to dryness at 40° C. Microscopical examination of the AA-atch glass Avith a Ioav power showed whether or not the octahedral crystals Avere present, and a rough quantitatiA^e estimation of the choline was made by noting whether or not the crystals were abundant. Weighings Avere made in some eases, after redissolving and recrystallising, but as aauII be more fully explained when Ave come to the considera- tion of cats’ blood, Ave do not regard oui' numbers as very trustworthy. For practical purposes the roughe” method of a microscopic survey gives excellent comparative results, provided the same quantitv of the original blood is taken in each case. The quantity Ave used Avas 10 cub. centims. Using this
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