Observations on the physiology of the female genital organs, being a report to the Science Committee of the British Medical Association / by W. Blair Bell and Pantland Hick.

  • William Blair-Bell
Date:
1909
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Licence: In copyright

Credit: Observations on the physiology of the female genital organs, being a report to the Science Committee of the British Medical Association / by W. Blair Bell and Pantland Hick. 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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    it and November, 1907, we carried out a series of experiments in which we tried the effect upon the coagulation of gelatine of solutions of the following substances : oxalic acid, acetic acid, ammonium oxalate and sodium citrate.f We do not think it necessary to give the protocols in detail, but will briefly summarize our results. We found that we obtained a heavy white precipitate of calcium oxalate with ammonium oxalate and oxalic acid, and that the salts above mentioned caused marked retardation of the coagulation time. Further, that the acids (if the gelatine was in weak solution) also retarded the coagulation under ordinary circumstances ; but that if the solutions were kept at a temperature which would pre- vent gelatinization for about forty-eight hours, that process did not occur at all. Further, we found that the prolonged action of ammonium oxalate, hut not of other salts, prevented coagulation. Now, in regard to the criticisms raised with reference to the suggestion that it might be worth while for chemists to discover if calcium was really an integral part of gelatine, and whether gelatine existed as such without calcium—in the first place, let us state that in all the papers quoted to disprove our suggestion (it has never been more than a suggestion) there is no mention of calcium-free gelatine having been obtained. Morner^ and many others have done their best to obtain calcium-free gelatine, but as far as we know no one has succeeded. It seems to us, therefore, that, whether our suggestion is right or wrong, it is hardly logical to argue that because a certain percentage has been removed without interfering with the coagulability, calcium has therefore nothing to do with the process. In regard to this point, Addis’s work on blood coagulation is of much interest. Nor does it appear reasonable to assume, as has been done,^ that because in certain experiments delayed coagulation only was obtained, therefore the calcium cannot be concerned. We have secured prevention of coagulation, but to that we do not wish to attach undue importance, although such positive evidence is certainly of more value than the negative evidence just alluded to. It has also been suggested that the hydrogen ions in the oxalic acid are responsible for the'result. This seems to be quite as indefinite a statement, and one which requires some proof. However, until calcium-free gelatine has been obtained which will gelatinize, and so prove our suggestion to be wrong, we would commend to unbiassed observers the following points which seem to us to be worth consideration in any attempt to settle the question: If calcium is a factor in the coagulation of blood—and we believe that this is usually accepted—and oxalic acid and ammonium oxalate prevent that coagulation by pre- cipitating the calcium, is it not possible that the same result obtained in the case of gelatine is due to the same i Compare these experiments with the statements made by H. E. Eoaf (Keference ^).
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