For instance, the red corpuscles are pure red in
preparations of normal blood, stained with haematoxylin-eosine mixture.
But in preparations of blood of a chromic anaemia stained with the same
solution, in which possibly all stages of the degeneration in question
are present, one sees red discs with a faint inclination to violet;
others which are bluish red; and at the end of the series, forms stained
a fairly intense blue, in which scarcely a trace of red can be seen, and
which by their peculiar notched periphery are evidently to be regarded
as dying elements.

Ehrlich put forward the theory, that this remarkable behaviour towards
dyes indicates a gradual death of the red blood corpuscles, that is of
the old forms, leading to a coagulation necrosis of the discoplasm. The
latter takes up, as is the case in coagulation necrosis, the proteids of
the blood, and acquires thereby the power of combining with nuclear
stains. At the same time the discoplasm loses its power of retaining the
haemoglobin, and gives it up to the blood plasma in ever increasing
quantity as the change proceeds. Hence the disc continues to lose the
capacity for the specific haemoglobin stain.

Objection has been raised to these views from many quarters, especially
from Gabritschewski, and afterwards from Askanazy, Dunin and others. The
polychromatophil discs are not, they say, dying forms, but on the
contrary represent young individuals. The circumstance, that in certain
anaemias the early stages of the nucleated red corpuscles are variously
polychromatic, was evidence for this opinion.

In view of the great theoretical importance which attaches to this
subject, the grounds for regarding this change as degenerative, may be
here shortly brought forward.

1. The appearance of the erythrocytes which shew polychromatophilia in
the highest degree. By the notching of their margins they appear to eyes
practised in the judgment of morphological conditions, in a stage almost
of dissolution, and as well-pronounced degeneration forms.

2. The fact that by animal experiment, for instance, in inanition, their
appearance in large numbers in the blood can be produced. That is,
precisely in conditions, where there can be least question of a fresh
production of red blood corpuscles.

3. The clinical experience, that in acute losses of blood in man, these
staining anomalies, can be observed in numerous cells, within so short a
time as the first 24 hours. Whilst i