Student. produces extensive intravascular coagutlation. Working alone, and in collaboration with Prof. Halliburton 12

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1 THE COAGULABILITY OF THE BLOOD OF ALBINOS. BY J. W. PICKERING, D.Sc. (Lond.), George Henry Lewes Student. THEI recent researches of Prof. Halliburton and Dr T. G. Brodie1 have demonstrated that the intravenous injection of an active of nucleo-proteid into albino rabbits, fails to induce intravascular coagulation of their blood, although similar doses of the same substance, when injected into the vascular system of either black or brown rabbits, produces extensive intravascular coagutlation. Working alone, and in collaboration with Prof. Halliburton 12 have shown that the proteid-like synthesised colloids A, B, and C (colloides amidobenzoique and aspartique) produice typical intravascular coagulation when introduced into the circulation of pigmented rabbits, dogs, cats, and guinea-pigs, but fail to produce this result when injected into the vascular system of albino rabbits. These results being anomalous, I have performed a series of experiments on the Norway or Arctic Hare (Lepus variabilis), certain specimens of which, during, the winter season are albinos, but during the summer months change th a pigmented condition, in order to ascertain if there is any connection between the pigmentation of the animal, and tendency of its blood towards intravascular coagulation, after the injection of either a nucleo-proteid or of the synthesised proteid-like colloid C (colloide aspartique of Grimaux3). I have now the pleasure of recording my best thanks to Capt. White for kindly supplying nme with the animals for my experiments. The striking contrast of the effect produced by the intravenous injection of either a nucleo-proteid (prepared fromra thymus), or of the proteid-like colloid C, during the albino condition of the animals, to 1 Halliburton and Brodie. This Journal, xvii. p Halliburton and Pickering. This Journal, xviii. p See also Pickering, ibid. xvii. p. 54. Comptes Rendus, cxx. p Grimaux. Revue Scientifique, 18 April, Comptes Rendus, xciii. p. 771; XCvIIT. pp. 231, 1336 and 1578.

2 COAG ULA TION IN ALBINOS. 311 that obtained when the animals have become pigmented, is shown by the following pr4cis of experiments, all of which were performed under the anasthetic influence of a mixture of chloroform and ether. Control experiments were performed to ensure that both the nucleo-proteid, and proteid-like colloid Q, employed were in the active condition. Exp. 1. Animal in albino condition. Active of nucleoproteid used. Sample of carotid blood coagulated six minutes after withdrawal. A second sample of carotid blood, taken immediately after the injection of 20 c.c. of nucleo-proteid, coagulated in five minutes after withdrawal. 20 c.c. more of the nucleo-proteid were then injected and the carotid blood coagulated in three minutes after withdrawal. A further iinjection of 15 c.c. of the nucleo-proteid killed the animal; death being apparently due to respiratory failure, with pronounced exophthalmos, and dilatation of the pupils, as symptoms. On post-mortem examination, made immediately afterwards, the blood throughout the vessels was found to be in the fluid condition. Exps. 2, 3, and 4 were also performed on aniimals during their albino conditioni, and the results obtained were {entirely in accord with those recorded in Exp. 1. In each case the injection of the of nucleo-proteid hastened7 the coagulation of the blood after withdrawal from the carotid, but entirely failed to induce intravascular coagulation. In Exp. 3 the animal was killed by asphyxia, in Exps. 2 and 4 the injection itself proved fatal. In Exp. 3 a dilute of a CaCl2 was injected after the nucleo-proteid. Exps. 6 and 7. The animals were in the pigmented condition. In the first of these experiments the injection of 25 c.c. of a nucleoproteid produced death with typical symptoms, and on postmortem examination, made immediately afterwards, extensive clots were found in the portal system, vena cava inferior, and jugular vein. In the second experiment the injection of 35 c.c. of nucleo-proteid produced a like resuilt. The coagulability of the blood withdrawn from the carotids was also hastened in each case. Exps. 8 and 9. The animals were in the albino condition and a 150/0 of the proteid-like colloid C was used. The injection of the synthesised colloid also hastened the coagulation of the blood after withdrawal from the carotid, but entirely failed to induice intravascular coagulation. Death was caused in each case by the injection of the colloid, and the tvpical dilatation of the pupils and exophthalmos was observed. Exp. 10. The animal was in the pigmented conditioni. 25 c.c. PH. XX. 21

3 312 J. W. PICKERING. of the proteid-like colloid C were injected. Death with typical symptoms resulted. Immediate post-mortem examination revealed pronounced clots in the right auricle, right and left ventricle, pulmonary artery, jugular, inferior vena cava and portal veins. If the animals are in a condition in which the pigmentation is partial, that is either in the transition state between the albino and pigmented condition, or as is commonly the case, in a state when the fur has become white only in parts, then after injection of a nucleoproteid, there may result either a partial coagulation of the intravascular blood, or there may be an entire failure to induce intravascular clotting. This result is shown by the following experiments: Exp. 11. Animal in transition state (partially pigmented). 45 c.c. injected with fatal result, and typical symptoms. Small loose clot found in portal vein. Remainder of blood fluid, but coagulates very rapidly after withdrawal from the blood vessels. Exp. 12. Animal partially pigmented. 60 c.c. of nucleo-proteid injected and animal killed by asphyxia. Blood throughout vascular system fluid. Exp. 13. Animal nearly in albino condition. 65 c.c. of nucleoproteid proved fatal. Post-mortem examination revealed a small loose clot in portal vein and another in the inferior vena cava. Exp. 14. Animal in same condition as above. 65 c.c. of nucleoproteid injected and animal killed by asphyxia. Blood throughout the vascular system was in fluid condition. The observations recorded in this paper seem to point to the view that the intravascular coagulation of the blood, produced by the injection of either a nucleo-proteid or of the proteid-like colloid C, is due to a cbemical interaction between a molecular group or -groups in the above named substances, and another molecular group or groups existing in the proteids of the living plasma; and not to the heavy nature of the colloidal substance injected. A slight alteration in the chemical composition of the blood of the animal is sufficient to prevent substances which normally induce intravascular coagulation from so doing. It is well to recall in this connection the influence of the season of the year (probably due to the temperature variations) oni the physiological reactions produced by certain substances on the heart, as these physiological reactions are probably associated with, if not dependent on chemical changes in the heart's contractile tissue. The appearance of the albino condition of the animal being confined to winter, and the pigmented state to the

4 COAGULATION IN ALBINOS. warmer seasons and the presence or absence of pigmentation being evidence of a varying nmetabolism it is probable that the two series of phenomena are comparable. Experiments in Extravascular Plasma. In a paper published last year Pi pointed out that the synthesised proteid-like colloids A, B and C failed to induce coagulation in sodium sulphate plasma. It had previously been shown by Prof Halliburton2 and Dr Brodie that nucleo-proteids failed to produce coagulation in salted plasma. Pekelharing3 however explained the result of Halliburton's experiments, where magnesium sulphate was the diluent used, by suggesting that the magnesium sulphate prevented the union of calcium and nucleo-proteid, essential in his opinion to the reaction of coagulation; Halliburton4 has accepted Pekelharing's explanation, and has further demonstrated that dog's blood mixed in certain proportions with a 1 0/0 of sodium carbonate has its ooagulation accelerated by the addition of a nucleo-proteid, and from this and other experiments, he concludes that Schmidt's fibrin ferment is a nucleoproteid. Since my experiments, cited above, are also open to Pek elharing's objection that salted plasma is not a fair test plasma, I have repeated them, following the method adopted by Halliburton. I have found that the addition of either of the colloids A and B (prepared by the interaction of PC1, and meta-amidobenzoic acid) does not apparently accelerate the coagulation of dog's blood mixed with 10/0 sodium carbonate, neither does it accelerate that of either pigmented or albino rabbits. The addition of the colloid C (colloyde aspartique) however causes a slight acceleration of the coagulation of the sodium carbonate plasma as is shown by the tables on p It is evident that the colloid C hastens the appearance of a clot in the extravascular plasma (dissolved in 10/o sodium carbonate) of both albino and pigmented rabbits, but that its action is not so marked as that of a nucleo-proteid. This property of the colloid C is lost if it be kept in for two or three days, and specimens even if kept dry lose their power after they have been prepared three or four months. I Pickering. This Journal, xviii. p Halliburton and Brodie. This Journal, xvii. p Pekelharing. Centralblattfur Physiologie, ix. p Halliburton. This Journal, xviii. p SIR

5 314 Proportion of blood to i. Equal parts ii. Blood + W of its vol. of soluition iii. Blood + 4 of its vol. of iv. Blood +.1 of its vol. of v. Blood + 6 drops of sol. vi. J. W. PICKERING. (Brown rabbit's blood used.) Sol. of 1 0/0 sodium carbonate (control experiments) No clot in 3 hours Clot in 23 mins. Clot in 18 mins. Clot in 20 mins. Clot in 16 mins. 20/0 sol. of colloid C in 1 0/o sol. of sodium carbonate I No clot in 3 hours. Clot in 16 imins. Clot in 12 mins. Clot in 5 nmins. Clot in 4 mins. i. Equal parts ii. Blood + 1 of its vol. of iii. Blood + 1 of its vol. of iv. Blood + 8 of its vol. of v. Blood + 6 drops of sol. vi. (Albino rabbit's blood used.) No clot in 3 hours Faint clot in 2 brs. 40 mins. Clot in 18 mins. Clot in 21 mins. Clot in 15 mins. No clot in 3 hours. Clot in 17 mins. Clot in 7 mins. Clot in 4 mins. The colloids A and B even when they have been previously warmed with a of calcium chloride, fail to induce coagulation in extravascular plassma prepared by this method. I may here incidentally remark that I have confirmed the experiments recently made by Mr A. Edm unds' that the addition of the colloid C does not basten the coagulability of milk, neither will the colloids A and B produce this result. Summary. In conclusion, I would emphasise the following points: The condition of the intravascular blood varies in animals that are sometimes in an albino, atnd at others in a pigmented condition. During the albino condition the injection into the circulation of either a nucleo-proteid, or of a dilute of the synthesised proteid 1 All the sodium carbonate used was prepared by myself from water distilled into glass receivers, to avoid the possibility of oligodynamic action; vi.de author's paper, This Journ. xx. p Edmunds. ThisJournal, xix. p

6 COAGULATION IN ALBINOS. like colloid C (colloide aspartique), fails to produce intravascular coagulation of the blood. A subsequent intravenous injection of CaCl2 also fails to induce intravascular coagulation. During the pigmented condition of the animal, the intravenous injection of either of these substances produces extensive intravascular coagulation, which is usually well marked in the portal vein, inferior vena cava, and jugular vein. The coagulation of the blood after withdrawal from the carotid is hastened by the injection of either of these substances into the circulation of the animal, both during its albino and pigmented condition. During the partially pigmented condition of the animal, the intravenous injection of a nucleo-proteid may either produce, or fail to produce intravascular coagulation of the blood. Its introduction into the circulation, however, always hastens the coagulation of blood withdrawn from the carotids. The colloids A and B (colloides amidobenzoique of Grimaux) fail to induce coagulation in the extravascular plasma prepared by an admixture of dog's or rabbit's blood (in various proportions) with a 10/0 of sodium carbonate. Warming these substances with CaCl, fails to give them the power to induce coagulation in extravascular plasma. The colloid C hastens the appearance of a clot in the extravascular plasma (prepared by this method) of dogs, and of both pigmented and albino rabbits. The acceleration of the coagulation produced is not however so great as can be produced by the addition of a similar quantity of a nucleo-proteid to 1/o sodium carbonate plastna. The remarkable correspondence between the action of nucleoproteids and of the synthesised proteid-like colloid C both on albinos' intravascular blood, and on extravascular 10/0 sodiumn carbonate plasma favours the view tentatively put forward by Prof. Halliburton and myself1 that the colloid C is probably the nearest substance at present known to proteids, and may possibly even be termed an elementary proteid. The absence of intravascular coagulation after injection of large doses of the colloid C into the circulation of albinos, negatives the view that the action of the colloids is due solely to their heavy molecular weight. 1 op. cit. August 10,