A treatise on the blood, inflammation, and gun-shot wounds / [John Hunter].

  • Hunter, John, 1728-1793
Date:
1828
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on the blood, inflammation, and gun-shot wounds / [John Hunter]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    37/754 (page 19)
    the blood, independent of the globules, arises from the solution of various substances in the serum. The blood has a peculiar taste, being saltish, but of a peculiar flavour : we can always distinguish by the taste when there is blood in the mouth. These are the principal observations we can make on the blood when circulating, or in its fluid state ; but as one part of it under certain circumstances changes into a solid, or as it is commonly termed, coagulates, more of its parts are thus exposed ; in this process the blood separates into two distinct substances, a coagulating part, and another which se- parates from it and remains fluid ; but the coagulum entangles the red part, and this alone shews the blood to be formed of these component parts. The parts of the blood so separated, have been named ac- cording to their apparent properties: the one, the coagulable lymph; the other, the serum; and the red part has been called, the red globules ; but upon a more intimate knowledge of the different parts of this fluid, we shall find that those terms are not ex- pressive of all their properties. The term coagulable lymph, is not expressive of this property, as one which is inherent in the lymph itself*; for many substances are capable of being co- agulated, though not spontaneously, yet by chemi- cal means. For instance, heat coagulates the fari- naceous part of vegetables, and thus forms paste ; and also mucus. Spirits of wine coagulates many animal substances : acid coagulates milk, &c. the term, therefore, to be used respecting this property of the blood, should be such as expresses its inhe- rent power of self-coagulation : perhaps coagulating might be better applied to what is called coagulable lymph; and the epithet coagulable might be re- served for those fluids which require a chemical c 2