JOURNAL

OF THE

ROYAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY.

JULY, 1878.

I.-The Structure of the Coloured Blood-corpuscles of Amphiuma tridactylum, the Frog, and Man. By Dr. H. D. SCHMIDT, Pathologist of the Charity Hospital, New Orleans, La. (Taken as read before the ROYAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY, April 3, 1878.) PLATE V.

(Continued from p. 78.)

BEFORE further discussing in detail the observations relating to the structure of the coloured blood-corpuscles of the Amphiuma, I propose to give a brief description of the mode of their development from the colourless corpuscles. Their origin, or original development in the first stages of embryonic life, I had no opportunity to observe; for in those embryos which I fortunately obtained they were already completely formed.

As we may suppose that the metamorphosis of a colourless blood-corpuscle into a coloured one is not accomplished in a space

EXPLANATION OF PLATE V.

FIG. 28.-Coloured blood-corpuscle of Amphiuma, treated with a 2 per cent. solution of boracic acid.

FIG. 29.-Coloured blood-corpuscle of Amphiuma, treated with the vapour of a 4 per cent. solution of osmic acid.

FIGS. 30, 31, 32, and 33.-Coloured blood-corpuscles of Amphiuma, treated with a strong solution of hydrate of chloral.

FIG. 34.-Coloured blood-corpuscle of Amphiuma, treated with nitric acid

vapour.

FIG. 35.-Coloured blood-corpuscle of Amphiuma, treated with nitric acid liquid.

FIGS. 36 and 37.-Coloured blood-corpuscles of Amphiuma, treated with diluted nitric acid.

FIG. 38.-Coloured blood-corpuscle of Amphiuma, treated with ether liquid. FIG. 39.-Colourless blood-corpuscles of adult Amphiuma.

FIG. 40.-Different forms of transition from the colourless into the coloured blood-corpuscles, met with in the blood of adult Amphiuma.

FIG. 41.-Colourless blood-corpuscles from the pulp of the spleen of adult Amphiuma.

FIG. 42.-Colourless blood-corpuscles and their transitory forms into the coloured corpuscles, met with in the blood of the very young Amphiuma.

VOL. I.

I

[FIG. 43.

of time short enough for any observer to witness it under the microscope, the process of development or transition can only be studied by making certain deductions from the various transitory forms of these blood-corpuscles as they are met with in the blood of the animal.

In the blood of the adult animal, the primary form of the colourless blood-corpuscle seems to be a nucleus surrounded by a layer of granular protoplasm (Fig. 39, a). The nucleus represents a vesicle, distinguished by a distinct double contour, and containing a limited number of granules. Both contour and granules show a faintly greenish tint. The multiplication of the corpuscle takes place by a division of the nucleus, while it is still surrounded by the protoplasm (Fig. 39, a and b), though many instances are observed where the nuclei are set free by the dissolution of the protoplasm (Fig. 39, c), and hence a number of free nuclei are always met with in the blood. The transitory forms to be studied are represented in Fig. 40. The first (a) is a round nucleus, in which the inner contour of its wall is represented by a zone of minute granules of a greenish tint, appearing as if deposited upon the inner surface of the wall; in the interior of the body the usual granules are observed. The second form (b) represents a larger

FIG. 43.-Coloured blood-corpuscle of the young Amphiuma.

FIG. 44.-Coloured blood-corpuscle with its protoplasm contracted, from the young Amphiuma.

FIG. 45.-Egg of the Amphiuma with embryo (natural size).
FIG. 46.-Embryo of Amphiuma, taken from the egg (natural size).
FIG. 47. The same, slightly enlarged.

FIG. 48.-Coloured blood-corpuscles of the large Bull-frog; a, front view; b, side view.

FIG. 49.-A coloured blood-corpuscle of the same animal, in which a retraction of the protoplasm has taken place, exposing the membraneous layer.

FIG. 50.-Coloured blood-corpuscle of the Frog, with spinous elevations on its surface.

FIG. 51.-Coloured blood-corpuscles of the Frog, treated with water.

FIG. 52.-One of the same, treated subsequently with a weak solution of chromic acid.

FIG. 53.-Coloured blood-corpuscle of the Frog, treated with acetic acid vapour. FIG. 54.-Coloured blood-corpuscles of the Frog, treated with a weak solution of chromic acid.

FIG. 55.-Coloured blood-corpuscles of the Frog, treated with a strong solution of hydrate of chloral.

FIG. 56.-Coloured blood-corpuscles of the Tree-frog; a, front view; b, side view; c, one with a portion wanting, as described in the text.

FIG. 57.-Coloured blood-corpuscles of the Tree-frog, treated with a weak solution of chromic acid; a, corpuscle with the protoplasm contracted in the form of a star; b, the protoplasm entirely contracted upon the nucleus; c, granular appearance of the protoplasm.

FIG. 58.-Infusorium found in the blood of the Tree-frog.

FIG. 59.-Coloured blood-corpuscles of Man; a, front view; b, side view.

FIG. 60. Various forms of coloured blood-corpuscles of Man, produced by a partial contraction of the protoplasm.

FIG. 61.-Coloured blood-corpuscles of Man, exhibiting spontaneous motion. FIG. 62.-Coloured blood-corpuscles of Man, treated with water.

body, with a clear border, limited by a fine though very distinct contour. The inner contour of the apparent wall is, as in the preceding form, represented by the outlines of the zone of granules, which here, however, is of greater breadth; while the outlines of the individual granules are considerably darker; the greenish tint of the zone is also more decided. There are no large granules nor a nucleus observed in the interior, though it may be supposed that they exist, but are hidden by the dark-bordered granules. The lighter tint of the body at its centre, compared with that at the periphery, is, of course, due to the difference of refraction existing in the rays of light passing through the body, the central rays being less refracted than those nearer the periphery. The third form (e), still larger than the preceding, encloses a distinct and perfect nucleus. The interior of the body appears to be completely filled with the dark-bordered granules of a now very decidedly greenish tint. When treated with water, these granules become very distinct, while those of the nucleus are dissolved, and the space occupied by the latter is rendered clear (d). Fig. 40, e, represents, lastly, a young coloured blood-corpuscle of an oval form and greenish tint. Though the nucleus contains a number of granules, it will be observed that the dark-bordered granules of the protoplasm have disappeared.

In examining the forms a, b, and c, it becomes obvious that they represent only different stages of development of one and the same body. But the question now arises, whether they began their development from a perfect colourless blood-corpuscle, or from a free nucleus. If developed from a colourless blood-corpuscle, that is from a nucleus, surrounded by a layer of protoplasm, the first step of the process must be a contraction of the latter upon the nucleus, and a condensation of its outer surface, which is shown by the even and distinct dark contour, represented in the drawing. The nucleus, of course, would at a somewhat later period assume an oval form, in order to represent that of the future coloured blood-corpuscle. In the course of development, the whole body would enlarge by the formation of new granules, and finally assume an oval form; at the same time the granules would disappear, and the greenish tint be changed into the yellowish colour of the mature coloured corpuscle. In regard to the greenish tint, we might ask, whether it is not due to the incipient formation of the hæmoglobin?

If, on the other hand, these forms arise from a free nucleus uncovered by protoplasm, the process must appear more complex; for then the granules would have primarily to be formed in the interior of the nucleus, and deposited upon the interior surface of its wall, while a new nucleus is developed from one of the granules of the old one.