Comp. Blood consists of a transparent and nearly colourless fluid (plas′ma, se′′rum, sĕralbu′men), in which float about a countless multitude of microscopic round red bodies (blood-discs, blood-corpuscles), to which its colour is due, accompanied by a few colourless globules (white blood-corpuscles) of a somewhat larger size. The red corpuscles are found, on more minute examination, to consist of an envelope containing a solution of hæmatosin.
Prop. These are, for the most part, well known. It has an alkaline reaction, a saline and rather disagreeable sweetish taste, and when newly drawn evolves a peculiar odour or halitus, which almost immediately disappears. As it cools and on repose it coagulates, owing, according to some, to the spontaneous solidification of the fibrine.
The following table, based upon the observations of Schmidt and the analysis of Lehmann, is given by the latter, as representing the average quantitative relation of the principal constituents of normal blood. It will be noticed that the blood is here regarded as composed of two portions, one consisting solely of the red particles, and the other of the
liquid, in which these red corpuscles are suspended, termed the liquor sanguinis, which consists of the serum holding fibre in solution:—
Sp. gr. of Blood-corpuscles, 1·0885.
| 1000 parts blood-corpuscles contain— | |
| Water | 688·00 |
| Solid constituents | 312·00 |
| consisting of— | |
| Hæmatin (with iron) | 16·75 |
| Globulin and cell membrane | 282·22 |
| Fat | 2·31 |
| Extractive matters | 2·60 |
| Mineral substances (without iron) | 8·12 |
| Chlorine | 1·686 |
| Sulphuric anhydride (SO3) | 0·066 |
| Phosphoric anhydride (P2O5) | 1·134 |
| Potassium | 3·328 |
| Sodium | 1·052 |
| Oxygen | 0·667 |
| Calcium phosphate | 0·114 |
| Magnesium phosphate | 0·073 |
Sp. gr. of Liquor Sanguinis, 1·028.
| 1000 parts of liquor sanguinis contain— | |
| Water | 902·90 |
| Solid constituents | 97·10 |
| consisting of— | |
| Fibrin | 4·05 |
| Albumen | 78·84 |
| Fat | 1·72 |
| Extractive matters | 3·94 |
| Mineral substances | 8·55 |
| Chlorine | 3·644 |
| Sulphuric anhydride (SO3) | 0·115 |
| Phosphoric anhydride (P2O5) | 0·191 |
| Potassium | 0·323 |
| Sodium | 3·341 |
| Oxygen | 0·403 |
| Calcium phosphate | 0·311 |
| Magnesium phosphate | 0·222 |
The ash of blood contains about 6·84 per cent. of ferric oxide. (Lehmann.)
The following table gives the results of the average composition of human blood in man and woman, according to the analyses of Becquerel and Rodie: