The histology of the blood in the insane / by W. Lauder Lindsay.

  • Lindsay, W. Lauder (William Lauder), 1829-1880.
Date:
[1854]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The histology of the blood in the insane / by W. Lauder Lindsay. 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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    uexiou with these experiment? will, I hope, be a sufficient excuse for very briefly mentioning a few of the results referred to. Bonders and Molcschott state the average proportion to be I to 373. Tliey found that m persons between two and a halt and twelve years of age, the average proportion was 1 to 226; between thii-ty and iil'ty years, 1 to 346; in old men between sixty and eighty, 1 to 381; in females, alter menstniation, i to 247; in females who had not menstruated, 1 to 405 ; and in pregnant women, 1 to 281. The white corpuscles increased after food, especially if rich in albumen, and diminished by fasting; they were increased also during menstruation and pregnancy. Granularity and Opacity varied considerably; they were most marked where the corpuscles were not increased in size, or were smaller than normal. Size.—Sometimes they resembled the red corpuscles in size; at other times they attained two or tlii-ee times their normal bulk; iu the latter case they were very pellucid, non-granular, and delicate. Form.—Irregularities in the outHue were comparatively seldom met with, and were more probably temporary and due to physical causes in operation during the microscopical examination, than permanent or stmetural changes. A large gi-auular opaque nucleus was sometimes visible without the aid of acetic acid. It usually occupied nearly the whole ceU; sometimes it was central, at other times more or less parietal; in the latter case the cell wall resembled a delicate vesicle or veil enveloping the nucleus. Reaction of Acetic Acid.—This reagent usually rendered evident a large, gra- nular, simple nucleus, or a double or triple nucleus, which was much smaller and seldom granular, though frequently opaque. The ceU waU usually became very distinct, and sometimes swelled to a great extent round the nucleus. Occasionally the nucleus was as, or even more, distinctly visible before the addi- tion of the reagent. Where the nucleus was visible on the simple addition of water, acetic acid generally rendered it only more granular and distinct. Where the double or triple nucleus was developed, the corpuscles closely resembled, and could not have been distinguished from pus cells. This condition of nucleus was chiefly noticed in small-sized corpuscles; the larger, granular, single nucleus ia those of larger size. Sometimes the supposed white cor- puscle proved, on the addition of acetic acid, to be only the nucleus round which the cell waU was now developed as a very delicate pellucid vesicle. The alterations which I have above shortly described were much more common among the inmates of the Crichton Institution than those of the Southern Counties Asylum. This is attributable, doubtless, not only to the influence of pre\dous education and habits on the constitution of the patients respectively, but also to the essential difference in the occupation and amuse- ments of the two classes; theii- passive, sedentaiy natm-e in the one, and their active, open-air character iu the other. These conditions of the blood were not confined to the insane, for they occurred, to a less extent, however, in the sane. Nor did they appear to bear any relation, in kind or degree, to the type or class of mental aUeuation; but a eoimexion was traceable, both in sane and msane, -nTlth physical disease. In estimating, however, the value of such structui-al changes in the blood in connexion with mental or physical disease in the insane, it is important to bear ui mind the loUowmg facts inter alia. Many, if not all, of the above conditions have been found m other diseases; and it is probable they exist iu many bodily states, which are not usually classified as distinct diseases. Variations in size of the corpuscles are known to be comparatively common in health as well as disease, in persons of aU a^es and of both sexes. The blood corpuscles very readily assume a great variety of form, temporary or permanent, from simple physica causes—^..^., pressiu-e, or addition of reagents causing endosmotic and cxosmotic changes. The red corpuscles are weU known to become wrinkled or puckered, and tuberculated or granular, after removal from the body and expo-