The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-11-15
Watching the Blood Circulate.
An ingenious method has Just been


An ingenious method has Just been de-
vised for actually observing the circula-
ton of the blood in man. Hitherto, ex-
cept in the case of Purkinje's expert
ment, in which an observer can see the
circulation in 1.-THE human circula-
ton in his own retinal blood vessels,
the evidence of circulation in the
human subject has been entirely cir
cumstantial, derived from the facts of
structure of circulatory organs, and from
the manner in which the blood flows
from severed arteries and veins. But by
means of a simple arrangement, invented
by DIR. G. Huter, of Griefswald, it is now
possible to witness the actual flow of
blood in the blood-vessel of another
person, and that with sufficient accuracy
to detect any abnormality in the circula-
ton, and so to obtain invaluable assist
ance in the diagnosis of disease.
In DIR. Huter's arrangement the pa
tents head is fixed in frame something
like that used by photographers, on
which is contrivance for supporting a
microscope and lamp. The lower lip is
drawn out and fixed, by means of clips,
on the stage of the microscope, with its
inner surface upward; strong light is
thrown on this surface by condenser,
and the microscope, provided with low
power objective, is brought to bear upon
the delicate network of vessels, which
can be seen in the position indicated,
even with the naked eye.
The appearance presented is, at first,
as If the vessels were filed with red in
lection. But by focusing small super
fetal vessel, the observer is soon able to
distinguish the movement of the blood
stream, rendered evident by the speck-
like red corpuscles, the flow of which, in
the cork-screw-like capillaries, is said by
Huter to be especially beautiful. The
colorless corpuscles are distinguishable
as minute white specks, occurring now
and again in the course of the red stream.
Besides the phenomena of the circula-
ton, the cells of neutrality-suspicious.
lining the lip, and their nuclei, can
readily be distinguished, AS well as the
apertures of the mucous glands
Besides the normal circulation, vari-
Gus pathological conditions can be OBJ
served. BY pressure quite insufficient
to cause pain, the phenomena of blood
stagnation-th stoppage of the flow,
and the gradual change in color of the
blood from bright red to purple are
seen. A momentary stoppage is also pro-
duced by touching the lip with ice, a
more enduring stasis by certain reagents,
such as glycerine or amonia.
Huter states that it has already proved
the great use of Cheiloangioscopy," as
he calls the new process, in his medical
practice. The variation in the blood
flow and in the diameter of the vessels,
the crowding together of the red cor
puscles, the increase in number of the
white corpuscles, occurring in certain
diseases, all these may be observed
readily and exactly. 1t will, indeed, be
at once obvious how great is the import
ance of method like this, by which an
actual observation of the circulation is
made possible, especially when it is
borne in mind that even the rough and
ready method Of feeling the pulse affords
valuable indication OF the state Of
health.