REACTION OF SELACHII TO INJECTIONS 137 



poisoned with uranium nitrate, peculiarly shaped nuclei like 

 those found in the spleen which probably indicate an abnormal 

 amitosis. 



8. Body wall {muscles, skin, and peritoneum) 



In these tissues dyes were recovered only in the blood-vessels 

 and connective tissue where an occasional phagocyte is seen. 

 These tissues were not injured by the toxins so far as could be 

 determined. 



9. Vascular system 



This system has already been discussed in part. Leucocytes 

 and fixed phagocytes of endothelial and tissue origin were seen 

 to contain trypan blue and carmine granules. Carmine was 

 found ingested by endothelial cells lining the heart. Fixed 

 phagocytes in the spleen, kidney, and gills apparently are injured 

 by circulating toxins. Phagocytes containing carmine were found 

 in the circulating blood within two hours after injection of the dye. 



The blood-vessels of all the organs examined were congested 

 by the excretory toxins injected, the most severe congestion 

 occurring in the digitiform gland, kidney, and spiral valve. 

 All three toxins — potassium chromate, tartaric acid, and uranium 

 nitrate — caused injury to the erythrocytes, and when potassium 

 chromate was injected directly into the blood-vessels these cells 

 were destroyed, sometimes in a few minutes. Ophuls ('11) 

 stated, in his paper on potassium chromate nephritis in mam- 

 mals, that the cause of death in such experiments is not due to 

 the injury to the kidney. It is probable that death is due to 

 injury to the blood corpuscles, especially the erythrocytes. In 

 all our sections of tissues, from animals that had received injec- 

 tions of excretory toxins, degenerated erythrocytes can be seen. 

 When we injected potassium chromate intra vascularly, the blood 

 was laked and the hemoglobin oxidized, as shown by the 'gran- 

 ular' appearance and brown color of the blood at autopsy. 

 Lymphatics were not stained by trypan blue or carmine to any 

 noticeable extent up to the end of five days' time, although 

 they might take up these dyes if more time were allowed. 



