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20 VARIATIONS IN FIBRINE. acute articular rheumatism, Andral records in one case as high a proportion of fibrino as 10:2 per 1,000, in several others it amounted to 6, 7, 8, or 9. In bronchitis (acute) the highest figure obtained was 9°3, in pnoumonia 10-3. The maximum in pleurisy was 5°8, in peritonitis 7:2. The increase was nearly tho samo in one case of erysipelas, in which it amounted to 7:3, and in another of ton- sillitis, in which it was 7-2. A very important cireumstance, well shown by Andral’s tables. is, that the effect of bleeding was not to diminish the fibrine ; in this respect there was a marked con- trast between the fibrine and the red globules; the latter sunk with each successive abstraction of blood, while the former most often rose, sometimes considerably. The following examples of this fact are yory striking :—~

1st bleeding. 2nd.

Acute Rheumatism 6-1 :

d. 8rd. 4th. 5th. 6th. 72 Poewmonia. . . TI 8-2 47 a8

7S 10:25 2 9-0 100 Peritonitis. . . 38 G1 Pionrisy a. « « 39 be

Jn tubereulization of the lungs the fibrine shows a decided increase, which, however, is most marked when interenrent inflammation is sct up in the part. In the ernde state of tho tubercles the mean of the fibrine is about 4; when softening has commenced it is about 4:4; when cavities have formed it is from 5 to 55. The red particles steadily decrease from the first. In chlorotic persons the quantity of fibrine is maintained at its usual average, and is sometimes a little above; this circumstance, taken together with the great diminution of the globules, accounts for the formation of a buffy layer on the surface, which is not un- common in such blood.

Deficiency of Fibrine—This is observed in very various morbid conditions. If we take as a cortain indication the non-coagulated state of the blood (which, perhaps, we are warranted in doing), it scems to be very deficient, generally, in all diseases proving fatal by asphyxia, or in which the respivation has been considerably interfered with for some time before death. Thus in cases of obstructive heart disease, the blood is very commonly in a fluid state, or very imperfectly coagulated, the coagula, such as they are, being very soft, and extremely friable. The same state is observed in cases of cyanosis, in which, owing to mixture of the yenous and urterial bleod, this fluid is never properly oxygenated. Excessive fatigue is said to prevont ihe blood from coagulating, but this has been contradicted by Mr. Gulliver, who found the blood coagulated in a hunted stag, and in two hares ran down by harriers. Various poisons seem to have the effect of preventing coagulation of the blood; among these are hydrocyanic acid, car- bonic acid, sulphuretted and carburetted hydrogen. Andral states that if a concentrated solution of carbonate of soda be injected into a yein the animal presents the symptoms of typhus er scurvy (ic. �