lis PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [Feb., 



the meshes of this reticukmi may be discerned, moreover, pale yellow, 

 somewhat refractive granules. In material fixed in Flemming's 

 fluid (fig. 35) the picture is strikingly different. The cytoplasm pre- 

 sents the same vacuolated appearance, but here each vacuole constantly 

 encloses a yellowish-brown spherule; while in many individuals the 

 cells moreoA'er contain man}^ black-stained inclusions of the most 

 varied shapes, some of which are shown in fig. 35. That these latter are 

 fatty in their nature is indicated b}^ the fact that they are visible only 

 in material fixed with a mixture containing osmic acid, and also by 

 their intense blackness. The yellowish contents of the vacuoles, 

 whether appearing as pale granules or as spherules, is doubtless only 

 the precipitate of the fluid contained in them during life. 



The above description applies to the majority of the cells which make 

 up the stomach wall. In addition to these, and scattered among them 

 in considerable number, are unicellular glands (fig. 6, g.gl., and fig. 34). 

 These stain more deeply than their neighbors, being especially dark at 

 their bases. Their cytoplasm is not visibly vacuolated, and presents a 

 granular appearance. In the example shown in fig. 34 a portion of the 

 cytoplasm at the central end of the cell is seen to have been trans- 

 formed into a coarsely granular secretion, which is escaping into the 

 lumen of the stomach through a break in the cell wall. These cells 

 have evidently a digestive function. Another peculiar structure was 

 also freciuently noted, which may be considered as having to do with 

 the digestive functions, although this is not certain. Embedded in the 

 stomach wall of many individuals there were frequently observed 

 large spherules, whose diameter was approximately one-half of the 

 thickness of the stomach wall, and which possessed a staining reaction 

 similar to that of the surrounding cells — although perhaps a trifle 

 darker — and having a homogeneous appearance (fig. 33). Contained 

 within this spherule there appears constantly a spherical mass of 

 chromatic substance, approaching in size and appearance the nucleolus 

 of the surrounding cells. In addition there is also scattered through 

 the spherule tiny granules of chromatic material. In close contact 

 with the spherical body is a cap-shaped nucleus, ??. That this close 

 association with a nucleus is not accidental is indicated by the fact that 

 it was found in ten successive instances. The whole structure — the 

 spherical body with its chromatic enclosm'es, its homogeneous appear- 

 ance, and its close contiguity to a true nucleus — closely resembles the 

 figures given by Brasil (1904) of the "grosses boules hyalin" found in 

 the mid-intestine of Lagis koreni, and which are concerned with the 

 degeneration of the cells in which they occur. 



