Volume 1

A text-book of human physiology : including histology and microscopical anatomy with special reference to the requirements of practical medicine / by L. Landois ; translated from the seventh German edition with additions by William Stirling.

Landois, L. (Leonard), 1837-1902. Lehrbuch der Physiologie des Menschen. English

Date:: 1891

Credit: A text-book of human physiology : including histology and microscopical anatomy with special reference to the requirements of practical medicine / by L. Landois ; translated from the seventh German edition with additions by William Stirling. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$duration of the period of regeneration depends npon the amount of blood lost {Lyon). The amount of hemoglobin is diminished nearly in proportion to the amount of the haemorrhage {Bizzozero and Salvioli). [Hsemorrhages in cold-blooded animals.—These animals can bear very considerable loss of blood, and, in fact, the frog can live for a considerable time without blood. In the experiment of Cohnheim known as the salt frog, all the blood is washed out of its vessels by means of normal saline solution ('/Ö per cent. NaCl) and the blood-vessels are filled with the same fluid. Such a frog will live for several days, and the elimination of COg goes on as in an intact frog. This experiment obviously has a very important bearing on the question as to the seat of the foiniation of CO^—i.e., whether it is formed in the blood or in the tissues. It clearly points to the latter view.] Metabolism in Anaemia.—The condition of the metahoUsm in the case of persons suffering from anpemia is important. The decomposition of proteids is increased (the same is the case in hunger), hence the excretion of urea is increased {Bauer). The decomposition of fats,-on the contrary, is diminished, which stands in relation with the diminution of CO« given off. Ausemic and chlorotic persons put on fat easily. The fattening of cattle is aided by occasional bleedings and by intercurrent periods of hunger {Aristotle). (2) An excessive thickening of the blood through loss of water is called Oligsemia sicca. This occurs in man after copious watery evacufitions, as in cholera, so that the thick tarry blood stagnates in the vessels. Perhaps a similar condition—though to a less degree—may exist after very copious perspiration. (3) If the proteids in blood be abnormally diminished the condition is called Oligsemia hypalbuminosa ; they may be diminished about one-half. They are usually replaced by an excess of water in the blood [so that the blood is watery, constituting hydrsemia]. Loss of albumin from the blood is caused directly by albuminuria (25 grams of albumin may be given off by the urine daily), persistent suppuration, great loss of milk, extensive cutaneous ulceration, albuminous diarrhoea (dysentery). Frequent and copious haemorrhages, however, by increasing the absorption of water into the vessels, at first produces oligtemia hypalbuminosa. For the abnormal changes of the red and white blood- corpuscles, see § 10 ; for Haemophilia, § 28. [Organisms in the Blood.^—The presence of animal and vegetable parasites in the blood gives rise to certain diseases. Some of these, and especially the vegetable organisms, have the power of multiplying in the blood. The vegetable forms belonging to the schizomycetes or fission fungi are frequently spoken of collectively under the title bacteria. They are classified by Cohn into I. Sphajrobacteria II. Microbacteria ^ III. Desmobacteria Y exhibit movements. IV. Spirobacteria J These forms are shown in fig. 32. The micrococci (A) ai'e examples of I.; while Bacterium termo (B) is an example of II. In III. the members are short cylindrical rods, straight (Bacillus, D) or wavy (Vibrio, C). Splenic fever of cattle is due to the presence of Bacillus anthracis (fig. 32). These rod- shaped bodies under proper conditions divide transversely and elongate, but they also form spores in their interior, which in turn under appropriate conditions may germinate. Class IV. is represented by two genera, Spirochseta and Spirillum (fig. 32), the former with close, and the latter with open spirals. The Spirochreta Obermeieri (often spoken off as spirillum) is present in the blood during the paroxysms in persons suffering from relapsing fever. Amongst animal parasites are Filaria sanguinis, and Bilharzia Hsematobia, which occurs in the portal vein and in the veins of the urinary apparatus.] -«-\ D E Fig. 32. A, micrococcus ; B, bacterium C, vibrios ; D, bacilli ; E, spir illun].$