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as well as of the germinal matter of epithelium, and of other 

 tissues, and we may trace back its parentage to the original 

 embryonic bioplasmic mass, which must be regarded as the 

 primitive ancestor of all. 



Degradation of Bioplasm in Peritonitis, and the production 

 of Contagious Virus. — In peritonitis we have an example of an 

 imflammation which much more frequently proceeds to the 

 formation of pus than inflammation of other serous mem- 

 branes. The great vascularity of the peritoneum as compared 

 with that of other serous membranes, may perhaps account 

 for this fact. It is interesting to discuss briefly the cha- 

 racters of the different '' inflammatory products," as they 

 are called, resulting from peritoneal inflammation, varying 

 in intensity. 



In slight inflammation there is great vascular disten- 

 sion, as in other cases accompanied by the escape of ex- 

 udation in which are suspended particles of bioplasm. 

 The exudation coagulates upon the surfaces of the serous 

 membrane, perhaps gluing them together. The fluid portion 

 is gradually absorbed, and if the case progresses to reco- 

 very, much of the coagulated matter is also taken up, a little 

 being transformed into fibrous tissue, resulting in a few 

 " adhesions," or mere thickening of the serous membrane, as 

 the case may be. 



When, however, the intensity of the inflammation is 

 greater, the little particles of bioplasm originally derived from 

 the white blood-corpuscles, grow and multiply, and, with 

 the fibrinous matter in which they are entangled, form trans- 

 parent flocculi, which are suspended in the serous part of 

 the exudation, or adhere here and there loosely to the peri- 

 toneal surface. Many of these flocculi are found to contain 

 multitudes of bioplasm particles, and oftentimes a vast num- 

 ber of these are suspended in the fluid, and congregated here 

 and there, forming little collections upon the surface of the 

 delicate serous membrane, to which they adhere, and where 

 they grow. 



If the inflammatory process still continues, and increases 

 in severity, the vascularity of the membrane becomes more 

 marked, and the exudation is poured out from the blood 

 more abundantly; the masses of bioplasm increase in 

 number yet faster, and the exudation in consequence appears 

 nearly opaque. The flocculi are of a yellowish colour, and 

 look not unlike pieces of clotted cream which stick here and 

 there to the peritoneum covering the intestines and the inner 

 surface of the abdominal parietes. Not unfrequently the 

 surface is smeared over in places with whitish pasty 



