32 THE ACTION OF THE LIVING CELL 



hours after the introduction of the mustard. (Turck, 

 1902.) The salient cytological changes observed may 

 be summed up as follows: 



First an exudate, consisting of cells, granular 

 debris, fibrillar masses, leucocytes, and erythrocytes, 

 appeared on the surface of the mucosa within an hour 

 or two after introduction of the mustard emulsion. At 

 this time the cells, including the nuclei, stained 

 readily. The capillaries within the interglandular 

 connective tissue beneath the epithelium were mark- 

 edly engorged, and the blood vessels in the submucosa 

 were likewise distended. After about two hours, the 

 mucosa was found to be covered with a thick layer of 

 broken down, desquamated cylindrical epithelial 

 cells. Some cells in the ducts appeared to be degener- 

 ated acid cells, while some proliferation of the inter- 

 stitial tissue was apparent. The blood vessels of 

 the outer coats, at this time, were found to be some- 

 what distended and filled with blood. 



At the expiration of six hours, mitosis was visible 

 everywhere, the nuclear figures being plainly dis- 

 cernible. The interglandular connective tissue, espe- 

 cially at the upper portions of the mucosa and beneath 

 the surface lining, was markedly infiltrated with leu- 

 cocytes and round cells. The blood vessels of the sub- 

 mucosa and serous coats were enormously distended 

 and filled with blood. The cardia fundus showed the 

 most marked inflammation, the epithelial cells being 

 disarranged and exhibiting various degrees of degen- 

 eration ranging from a simple granular stage to com- 

 plete necrosis. The cytoplasm of such cells stained 

 comparatively easily with eosin, the intensity of the 

 staining being conditioned by the degree of degenera- 



