Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-03-25
VOL. XII, NO. 19.---wHOLE NO. 211o

mains; from aggregated myriads but few
PARTICLES of dust are left. One of the most
remarkable points, perhaps, in the natural
history of these animalcules, is the power
they possess of remaining dormant for an
almost unlimited period of time. Immense
quantities of Infusoria in the form of mould
apparently dried up to dust, are long capa-
bic of termination some of the Rotatoria
will remain for years together motionless
and apparently lileless, if buried in earth or
thoroughly dry sand, and yet may be so pre-
served that, on the application of moisture,
they revive and swim about as actively as at
first. Some Rotifers have been alternately
dried up and rendered dormant and then re-
vived by the addit,au If -s1r hrelre times
without any apparent diminutlon other ac-
tivity. Professor Owen mentions having
witnessed the revival ofan animalcule which
had been preserved in dry sand four years.
With regard to the purpose which these
invisible beings are destined to effect in the
economy ofnature, we will content ourselves
with quoting the words of DIR. Mantell, who,
in the Thoughts on Animalcules' before
us, has presented a vast deal of information
on the most interesting genera and species
of the Infusoria, and clothed it with that
fascinating garb that persuasive eloquence,
with which he has been ever wont to impart
knowledge.
eve may, indeed" he says, "take cog
nizance of some of the obvious results of
the operations of these living atoms; such,
for example, as their influence in maintain
ing the purity of the atmosphere and of the
water, by the conversion into their own
structures of the particles liberated by the
decomposition ofthe larger animals and veg
etables and in their turn becoming the food
of other races, and thus aaording the means
of support to creatures of higher organi-
zation than themselves. We see, too, that
many species after death give rise to the for
miation of earthly deposits at the bottoms o
lakes, rivers, and seas, which, in after ages
NAV become fertile tracts ofcountry and the
sites of large communities of mankind. Blu
in this, as in all attempts to interpret the
mysterious designs of Providence, we are
but as beings darkly WISE for 1t is proba
BILE that the most serious maladles which at
flict humanity are produced by peculiar state
of invisible animalcuar life. From som
periodical and exaggerated condition of de
velopement, particular species, too minut
for the most powerful microscope to descry
NAV suddenly swarm in the air or in the wa
tiers, and penetrating the internal vessels an
organs, exert an injurious influence of a spe
cifc character on the lining membranes an
fluids of the human frame and from TIL
inscrutable agency may, possibly, original
the cholera, influenza, and other epidemi
diseases"
THE BLOOD, &c.
In the course of this artscle we have a
iuded DrIeny 10 many other discoveries e
fected by the microscope, and we cann'
bring it to a close without showing that i
revelations are not confined to the worlds c
worlds of microscopic beings existing ev
rywhere around us. We need not again az
vert to the minute cells of which the organ
of all animals are made up, but there a
some other points connected with the orga
ization of the higher animals with which Il
microscope has made us acquainted, to whit
we win proceed to draw the readers ate
ton. And, first, with regard to the bloc
Examined by the naked eye the blood a
pears to be perfectly fluid and homogeneou
but if 1T be spread in thin stratum upC
the object-plate of microscope, and vie,
ed under a lens, having a magnifying pow
of between 200 and 300, it will be seen
consist of two distinct and heterogeno
parts, viz, a transparent yellowish waite
, fluid, and number of solid corpuscules
extreme minuteness suspended in this flu
= To the fluid portion the name serum is gi
, en-; the minute corpuscules are spoken
, as the gtObules of the blood. These glohul
are membranous sacs, inclosing solid fla
/ tened nucleus in the form Of disk in the
= interior. Their form and dimensions va
. among animals of different species, but
+ the same animal they all bear the stronge
resemblance to one another. In the Mar
malta these corpuscules are smaller than
{ any other class of animals, and in form tn,
are circular. In birds the globules
the blood are elliptical, and larger than
the Mammalia; in vertebrate animals wi
cold blood the globules are also elliptici
but their dimensions are much greater, al
vary more extensively in different classes
In the Invertebrata the globdes of the bloc
are more or less regularly circular in shap
and are also of very considerable dimension
Now, observation and experiment have pr
we'd how important is the action of the,
globules upon the living tissues. 1t appea
to be especially owing to the presence oftl
globules, that the blood owes its power of
rousing and keeping up vital motion in Il
animal economy. We observe, in fact, tina
if an animal be bed till it falls into sta
of syncope, and the further loss of blood
not prevented, all muscular motion quick
, ceases, respiration is suspended, the hea
pauses from its action, life is no longer maj
Tested by any outward sign, and death SOC
, becomes inevitable; but it, in this state, ii
blood of another animal fthe same speci,
be injected into the veins of the one to a
appearance dead, we see with amazemeI
this nanimate body return to life, gainin
, accessions of vitality with each new quaint
ty of blood that is introduced, by-and-t
beginning to breathe freely moving wit
f ease, and finally walking as it was wont
do, and recovering completely. This ope
alton, which is known in surgery under tn
title of TRANSMISSION, proves, better than a
that can be said, the importance ofthe glol
ules of the blood to the living tissues; ft
if, instead of blood, serum only, deprived (
globules, be employed in the same manne
no other or further effect is produced tina
follows the injection of so much pure waite
{ and death is no less an inevitable cons,
. quence, But results equally remarkabl
, have been observed in reference to the siz