Rudiments of Pathological Histology Volume 40 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855 edition. Excerpt: ...is frequently surrounded with a hyaline, often granular substance---the future cell conteuts. A cell-membrane is more rarely formed. This is probably owing to the rapid solidification and disintegration of ' the protein-compound, since so much fine molecular matter and free fat is met with in tubercle. But the non-nucleated, flattened, granular bodies termed tubercle-corpuscles by Lebert, would seem to be formed in another mode. They have an investing membrane, preceding the formation of a nucleus, unless we should be disposed to assume that the nucleus has become aborted. The fatty degeneration of tubercle consists in the deposition of much free fat in the form of larger or smaller globules. The substance thence assumes a yellowish colour, and its consistence is gradually rendered softer. The organic elements, however, remain. Even in cases where the softened tubercular mass is liquefied, they may still be observed. From this it is obvious, that softened tubercle, as a new-formation, cannot be deemed to possess any solvent properties; and that the solution of the surrounding tissue is rather to be referred to the repeated exudations. This yellow tubercle has been regarded as a secondary form of the grey, a view which, in many cases, is undoubtedly correct, and wholly in accord with the fatty metamorphoses of normal and of new-formed structural elements; but it is very probable that the remains of the protein-compounds, which have not been used in the formation of the organic elementary parts, may at once undergo fatty degeneration; and, consequently, that it is not absolutely necessary that the yellow tubercle should have previously been of the grey kind; important analogies with this, will be found in cancer. Tubercle undergoes a...