The Pedestrian's Record

the pedestrian's record. 103 throat or cold on the chest, whichmay be attributed to the wet weather or continuous east wind. All these disasters, and many like them, occur as the result of devitalization of tissue, which is brought about by the nerves ceasing to exert their influence over the coats of blood-vessels, which is evidenced in the inflamed spot called a bruise, and in the congested appearance of a sore throat ; in fact, from the most trivial ailment to the more intricate forms of disease, congestionoften plays so important a part that we have thought it wise to place before our readers the causes of the < blood's coagulation. congestion. John Hunter wrote on diseases of the fluids, and of the blood in particular, but never accounted for the causes of its coagulation. This was left for Dr. Richardson, who asserted that blood remained fluid both inside and outside the body so long as it was in association with the volatile alkali, ammonia, and that immediately on its escape the blood coagu­ lated. This theory, it was contended by Sir Joseph Lister, of Edinburgh, did not fully account for the cause of the blood's coagulation, but that blood remained fluid so long as it was in contact with living tissue, and coagulated immediately that tissuebecame devitalized, or died. In order that we may clearly explain our views as to the causes which bring about congestion, it will be necessary for us to explain why