Researches on myohaematin and the histohaematins / by C.A. MacMunn.

  • MacMunn, Charles Alexander, 1852-1911.
Date:
1886
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Researches on myohaematin and the histohaematins / by C.A. MacMunn. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    9/38 (page 273)
    same situation in the crayfish. The green-gland gives the same spectrum as that of the latter species also (spectrum 16, Chart I.). In the vas deferens and the branchiae no bands could be detected. In Cancer pagurus and Carcinus mcenas similar spectra4' were observed. In Pagurus bernhardus, 'whose heart muscle contains myohaematin, there are faint traces of histohsematins, but not distinct enough to map their spectra. Among Insecta, as already stated, the presence of histohsematins is difficult to determine. In the crop and other parts of the enteron faint bands coincident with those of histohsematin may be seen in some species ; one might expect to meet with myohsematin in this situation owing to the muscle of the intestine being striped in insects, but hitherto I have not found it. In the mouth parts of some larvse myohsematin occurs (e.g. Ennomos), and, as will be shown again, all adult insects possess myohsematin in their voluntary muscles. In Staphylinus olens we meet with a most remarkable spectrum, yielded by the testes, which shows that the hsemoglobin-forming tendency is not altogether sup- pressed in insects. I have not met with this appearance in other species. In the specimens of Staphylinus examined the testes were a fine carmine colour; squeezed out in the compressorium, and examined in the usual manner, they gave two bands possessing a remarkable resemblance to those of reduced hsematin (spectrum 17, Chart I.). Before squeezing down the cover-glass of the compressorium the spectrum resembled oxyhaemoglobin, but in a suitable thickness the bands appeared as shown. It will be noticed the first band is placed over a shading which occupies nearly the position of the band of reduced haemoglobin. The position of these bands is approxi- mately : 1st, X 569 to X 554'5, and 2nd, X 540 to X 524'5. I succeeded in converting this pigment into acid haematin by the action of acetic acid, by which the bright red colour was changed to a dull brown and the spectrum into that of acid haematin. As spermatozoa were easily seen in these organs with the microscope there can be no doubt as to their nature. Vermes. In Lumbricusf and Hirudo all the organs which in other species show histohaematin spectra appear to contain a small amount of haemoglobin, which doubtless functions in a similar manner to the histohaematins. In Aphrodite, besides the haemoglobin contained in the ventral chain of ganglia, I have detected traces in the muscular fore-gut. Histohcematins in Vertebrata. In Vertebrata the search for histohaematins in the organs and tissues is attended with difficulty, owing to the presence of haemoglobin, but fortunately the bands of the * The liver of Carcinus mcenas shows a band before D and a dark one in green. t Lumbricus contains hsematoporphyrin in the dorsal streak. For Serpula and Sabella see my paper “ On the Cliromatology of the Blood of some Invertebrates,” Quart. Journ. Micros. Science., vol. C., p. 469. MDCCCLXXXVI. 2 N