144 



PRODUCTS, ADVENTITIOUS. 



open to inquiry, but it is certain that the 

 difficulty of killing them obstructs the cure 

 of diseased states (porrigofavosa, for instance), 

 in connection with which they form. They 

 are referrible to fungi and algae, and commonly 

 composed of cells arranged in a moniiiform 

 manner, and multiplying hy gemmules. When 

 forming on the external surface, they may be 

 called epiphyta ; when within the frame, en- 

 tophyta. 



The torula has been observed in the urine 

 and in the gastric fluids (Busk) of persons 

 labouring under saccharine diabetes ; also in 

 the faeces, and in vomited fluids under various 

 conditions. Three to five rounded or oval 

 cells, upon which acet'c acid produces no 

 appreciable effect, provided sometimes with 

 gemmules (single or more than one), gem- 

 mules differing from themselves simply by 

 being smaller, the torula of the human sub- 

 ject is in all respects exactly like the torula 

 cerevisiae, and signifies the presence of fer- 

 mentating matters. 



Mycodermatous vegetations occur as ele- 

 ments of the crust of porrigo favosa ; they 

 germinate underneath (and never upon) the 

 epidermis in amorphous exudation of protein- 

 basis thrown out by the cutis. Underneath 

 the epidermis, covering the capsule, lies the 

 amorphous exudation-matter in a thin layer ; 

 beneath this, jointed cylindrical tubes, matted 

 together with similar matter ; deeper still, 

 fragments of tubes ; and yet further, free 

 sporules in abundance : the elongated cells, 

 forming the tubes, occasionally contain mole- 

 cules, these are visible when magnified 800 

 diameters.* Acetic acid, by lessening the 

 opacity of the amorphous matter, renders the 

 cells and tubes more distinct. Attempts to 

 propagate favus by inoculation of the sporules, 

 the matter of the crust, and the fluid of the 

 pustules, have failed (Gruby, Bennett) ; whe- 

 ther plants, healthy persons, or persons af- 

 fected with porrigo, have been made the sub- 

 jects of experiment : failures appearing to show 

 that the parasite is incapable of germinating 

 unless in a special soil (the amorphous exu- 

 dation-matter), and that the production of 

 this soil constitutes the essence of the dis- 

 ease. Even when the special constitutional 

 state exists, artificial introduction of the spo- 

 rules will not call forth exudation-matter of 

 the quality fit for their nourishment ; for in- 

 oculation of an affected scalp fails as com- 

 pletely as that of the skin of a healthy person. 

 So, too, the cell of cancer must have its soil 

 of kindred blastema, or the inoculation of its 

 germs will fail. (See p. 124.) 



In plica polonica Giinsburgf found spo- 

 rules in the substance of the hair-roots ; Dr. 

 Miinter failed in discovering them, they are 

 therefore not essential. Gruby detected epi- 

 phytes in sycosis between the root of the hair 

 and its sheath. 



Speaking of entophytic development on 



* H. Bennett in Trans. Roy. Soc. of Edin. vol. xv. 

 part ii. 1842 ; see also Grubv, Comptes Reudus, 

 1841, 1842, and 1844. 



f Muller's Archiv. 1845. p. 34. 



diphtheritic exudation of the mucous mem- 

 branes and skin in a former page (p. 118), the 

 misplacement of a word gives us the appear- 

 ance of saying that vegetable growth is less 

 common in thrush than in the similar exuda- 

 tion in phthisis, whereas we meant to affirm 

 the contrary. 



Dr. Bennett contributes an example of 

 entopytic growth found amid the sputa, and 

 in the contents of cavities, in a case of phthi- 

 sis : we have ourselves seen jointed vegetable 

 filaments on the walls of cavities. 



In the fluid of pyrosis Mr. Goodsir* found 

 a living structure closely allied to certain ge- 

 nera of Bacillaria 1 , but most closely to the 

 genus Gonium, among the Volvocinae; look- 

 ing like a wool-pack (hence the name Sarcina 

 ventriculi), bound with cord, crossing it four 

 times at right angles, and at equal distances ; 

 varying in diameter from -g^ to T ^'QO ^ an 

 inch, and consisting (fig, 99) of sixteen four- 



Fig. 99. 



The Sarcina ventriculi. 



celled frustules embedded in a square tablet of 

 a transparent texture. 



GROUP II. 

 LIQUID ADVENTITIOUS PRODUCTS. 



Fluids formed in localities, naturally free 

 from them, are obviously adventitious. Patho- 

 logically considered, fluid products are of sig- 

 nal importance ; but the consideration of their 

 morbid anatomy will not long detain us. 



These fluids accumulate in serous cavities 

 (dropsical) ; in the cellular membrane (oedema 

 or anasarca) ; or in the parenchyma of organs 

 (oedema). They may likewise form in adven- 

 titious seats, as in cysts, and in the bullae of 

 erysipelas, rupia and pemphigus, sudamina, 

 &c. When pure, the fluid of dropsy of serous 

 membranes is aqueous, transparent, free from 

 viscidity, and colourless, or faintly yellowish. 

 But it may be thicker, ropy, and of deeper 

 colour, and is commonly so in ascitic or 

 ovarian fluid, which has been for any length of 

 time accumulating. Especially in cases of this 

 class, organic corpuscles may be found ; other- 

 wise the fluid is transparent and amorphous 

 under the microscope. In the fluid of syphi- 

 litic rupia we have found well-constituted 

 exudation-cells. 



Generally speaking the fluid of dropsy is 

 alkaline, we have never known it otherwise ; 

 but it certainly is occasionally neutral or even 

 acid. In chemical composition it corresponds 



* Edinb. Med. and Surg. Journal, vol. 57. pi. 7 

 fig- 2. 



