Observations on some points in the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the blood / by T. Wharton Jones.

  • Jones, Thomas Wharton, 1808-1891.
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on some points in the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the blood / by T. Wharton Jones. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    In blood in which the buffy coat forms in a well-marked manner there is not only an increase in the quantity of fibrin, but also an increase in the quantity of liquor sanguinis in general, and a diminution in the number of red corpuscles. This relatively greater amount of liquor sanguinis, with its increased proportion of fibrin, is no doubt a condition contributing in some considerable degree to the development of a well-marked buffy coat, but not exactly, as has been supposed, by promoting subsidence of the red corpuscles. Dr. Alison (ut supra, p. 88) is of opinion that the formation of the buffy coat depends on an unusual tendency to separation between the fibrin and corpuscles; but considers it doubtful whether this is owing to increased aggregation among the particles of each, or to a pecuhar repulsion between the two. That it is prin- cipally owing to an increased aggregation of the red corpuscles, will be shown in the following pages. Here I would observe that any increase in the aggregation of the particles of fibrin would, if it regarded rapidity, lead only to more speedy coagulation ; and, if it regarded closeness, to the formation of a more firm coagu- lum, but not to separation. Besides, before any aggregation at all of the particles of fibrin is manifested, separation of the liquor sanguinis from the red corpuscles has already taken place to the extent of constituting the condition, visible to the naked eye, for the formation of the buffy coat. As to the question of a repulsion between the fibrin, or rather the liquor sanguinis, and red corpuscles, that will be considered below. The minute process leading to the formation of the buffy coat was, I believe, first explained by Professor Hermann Nasse, of Marburg, and has since been noticed by Professors Rudolph Wagner and Henle. More recently, I have made some observations on the point. Before entering upon an explanation of the subject it is necessary to call atten- tion to some appearances presented by newly-drawn healthy blood under the microscope. If a drop of such blood spread out by having a thin plate of glass gently laid over it, be quickly transferred to the microscope and forthwith examined, the corpuscles are observed dispersed confusedly about in the liquor sanguinis. In the course of half a minute, however, they are seen to overlap each other, then, rising up on edge, to become fully applied side to side. By this arrangement, like coins in rolls, they occupy less space than when they are irregularly aggregated. The consequence is that tlie field of the microscope, which was at first uniformly scattered over with corpuscles, now presents spaces containing nothing but liquor sanguinis, with perhaps a single red or colourless corpuscle floating about in it. These spaces represent, as it were, the meshes of an irregular network, formed by the rolls of corpuscles. When the red corpuscles run together into rolls, one may occasionally be observed here and there single, but the colourless corpuscles ahvays remain isolated, e.\hibiting not the slightest attraction for the red corpuscles. After the corpuscles ha\'e continued aggregated for a minute or two, a heaving to and fro is usually observed among the rolls, which thus become broken up, and ultimately the corpuscles are more or less detached from each other. This arrangement of rolls in a nehvork is exhibited only when the blood is thinly spread out as above described. When the blood is examined under the microscope in the form of a coagulated drop, the rolls are observed to be disposed in every direction, and thus constitute a spojigework, in the interstices of which the liquor