No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 151 



the size of ii red blood coi-puSele. There is no evidence that these 

 cells are due to a proliferation of the orij^inal layer of capsular 

 cells. l*oIynuclear cells, or cells with an irregular nucleus, were 

 not present in any of the specimens examined. It is probable, inas- 

 much as these cells stand in no relation to the vessels of the gang- 

 lia, that they are the result of a proliferation of the stroma cells 

 of the ganglion. 



Cortical lesions.— The cortex of the cerebrum and cerebellum 

 was markedly congested both to gross and microscopic examination. 

 The meninges were normal. The ganglion cells were normal to 

 the Nissl and other cell stains. Numerous capillary hemorrhages 

 were scattered throughout the entire cortex of the cerebrum and 

 cerebellum. There were also hemorrhages in the subcortical tis- 

 sues. The basal ganglia, pons, and mi'dulla were perfectly normal. 

 The spinal cord, outside of some congestion of the gray matter, 

 was normal. The meninges showed no trace of an inflammatory 

 process. 



Lesions of the choroid plexus. — The choroid plexus in three of 

 the cases was changed from a filmy membrane to a large trian- 

 gular tumor-like mass. This mass was of a yellowish-red color, of 

 firm consistency^, and measured two and a half centimeters in trans 

 verse section. On microscopic examination the increase in size 

 was found to be the result of a proliferation of the elastic tissue 

 surrounding the vessels. By the Van Giesen stain the entire sec- 

 tion was found to consist of whorls of delicate fibers starting from 

 the neighborhood of the vessel walls and extending to the margin 

 of the plexus. These fibers were not nucleated, although numerous 

 nuclei of the supporting tissue of the gland were present between 

 the whorls. At the suggestion of Dr. Flexner, the Weigert elastic 

 stain was used and the character of the tissue determined. The 

 ependymal cells covering the villi were normal. 



The peripheral nerves. — An examination of the nerves supplying 

 the larynx and the neck by the fresh osmic acid method showed a 

 slight but distinct degeneration. This was present in the nerve 

 up to the ganglion, but w^as not present in the posterior roots, or 

 the root of the fifth nerve. These lesions in the myelin corres- 

 ponded to the presence of a marked degree of swelling of the axis 

 cylinder in the substance of the ganglion. Hemorrhagic extrava- 

 sation into the sheath of the pneumo-gastric nerve was present in 

 one case. 



Summary. — Hemorrhagic inflammation of the upper respiratory 

 organs; degeneration of the peripheral nerves supplying these areas; 

 toxic irritation of the intervertebral ganglion as manifested by 

 intense degeneration of the ganglion cells, pericapsular round (cll 

 infiltration, and swelling up of the axis cylinders; widespread ca- 



