315 



Microscopical Characteristics. — An examination of thin 

 sections of these tumors, with the microscope, show that 

 they consist principally of dense bundles of white fibrous 

 tissue, which in some cases presents a somewhat embryonal 

 appearance ; but still the tissue is too highly developed to 

 admit the tumor to the group of sarcomas. 



In the case of fig. 9 we have a section through a collec- 

 tion of young skin tumors, which have just burst through 

 the skin. Note in fig. 9, A, the fibrous capsules encircling 

 the little embryonal tumors. Fig. 9, C, shows the character 

 of the tissue of the young tumors, when magnified 534 

 diameters ; while D shows the character of the encircling 

 capsules when magnified the same number of diameters. 

 Also, note that in all these cuts the fibrous bundles, of which 

 the tumors are largely composed, run in various directions. 

 Furthermore, notice that these tumors, as a rule, are not 

 very vascular ; and that the blood vessels, which they do 

 contain, have not very highly organized or developed walls. 



Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, show very few blood vessels. 



Fig. 9, B, represents two arteries, a cross section of one 

 and a longitudinal or oblique section of the other. The 

 two vessels are in the subcutaneous connective tissue and 

 not in the tumor proper. This illustration is given to show 

 the difi'erence between the degree of development of the 

 walls of the blood vessels in the surrounding normal tissues 

 and the tumor proper. ^ 



In almost every point these tumors agree microscopically 

 with the fibroma. Their highly developed white fibrous 

 connective tissue cells, and the general lack of embryonal 

 sarcomatous cellular character will serve to distinguish them* 

 from the sarcoma. Moreover, the sarcoma is always very 

 vascular, much more so than the average fibroma. 



I learned from the clinical experience of Dr. Gary, that 

 these tumos have never given metastasis; that is, they have 

 never extended to internal organs or surfaces. This is 

 another point which goes to prove that they are not sar- 

 comas. The only sarcoma that recurs without metastasis 



