Franklin P. Mall 229 
and described pseudolobules, 7. e., the yellow interlobular connective tissue, 
with hepatic veins in their center. Cruveilhier made the same blunder. 
Numerous other terms were used in a variety of ways, as, for instance, 
acinus which meant anything from a cell to an entire lobule, according 
to different authors. 
The lobule, as described by Kiernan, received its strongest support in 
its having on its periphery the terminal twigs of the portal vein, hepatic 
artery, bile duct, and an increased quantity of connective tissue, which 
an the pig forms a distinct capsule. Had it not been for an occasional 
animal with a lobule so well outlined and a great authority like J. 
Miiller, it is probable there would still be much confusion in spite of the 
“happy means ” and the innumerable terms. The study of the structure 
of the liver illustrates beautifully the value of great minds in the study 
of any subject. We see during a period of two centuries that the gen- 
eralizations of Malpighi, Ferrein, and J. Miiller are consistent and prac- 
tically correct in spite of the great amount of confusion and opposition 
brought from many quarters. Taking all of the facts into consideration, 
analysis by means of injection experiments, finally gave us a structural 
unit of the liver which has withstood all opposition. 
Lobules of the liver are certainly not well marked in most animals 
and it is seen by the foregoing that the lobules were as often found en- 
circling the portal twig as around the hepatic twig. A glance at Fig. 1 
will show why either arrangement is correct. With the facts before him, 
it is fot remarkable that E. H. Weber denied the anatomical existence 
of the lobule, 2. e., a lobule that can always be seen and is always the 
same. However, J. Miiller, with the livers of the pig and of the polar 
bear as examples set the question at rest for a time. 
The “ psuedo lobule” of Theile, with the strong connective tissue of 
the portal space as a center, is tougher than the true lobule which has 
only a delicate reticulum to hold it together. Theile has shown that it is 
easy to isolate the “pseudo lobule” of the dog’s or the rabbit’s liver, 
while it is impossible to isolate the true lobule. In fact, if livers of these 
animals are crushed and washed in a stream of water, the whole system 
of lobules is isolated, clustered around the branches of the portal vein, 
forming a specimen which may be likened to a bunch of grapes. 
Sabourin has described the liver as being composed of biliary lobules 
with the terminal bile ducts as their centers.’ He has accepted the pseudo 
?Sabourin, Le Progrés Méd., VI, 1883; Recherches l’anat. normale et 
pathol. de Ja glande biliaire de homme, 1888; Rev. Méd., X XI. 
