376 



as in oedema, and of which portions may be cut off with sharp 

 scissors, which are easily displayed upon a plate of glass. 

 These preparations, treated by the picrocarminate of am- 

 monia, and preserved in glycerine acidified by formic acid, 

 show elements similar to those which are represented in 

 fig. 7. 



Swollen bundles of connective tissue may be seen there 

 surrounded by annular fibres coloured with red. This 

 colouring indicates that these fibres are distinct from the 

 elastic fibres which are not coloured by carmine. Flat cells 

 may also be observed, seen in front or in profile ; finally, the 

 rovmded, or irregular cells. The flat cells are only slightly 

 united to the bundles of connective fibres. The round and 

 irregular cells appear entirely free in the spaces comprised 

 between the bundles. 



It is convenient to study these different elements in a 

 neutral liquid, having already recognised them by the aid of 

 the preceding methods. In order to do that, serum must be 

 injected into the subctaneous cellular tissue. In the oede- 

 matous parts fragments are to be raised by means of 

 scissors. These placed upon a plate of glass and covered by 

 a smaller one, present a very irregular appearance, and, with 

 the microscope, granular plates which represent the flat cells 

 which have been mentioned above may then be distinguished 

 along the bundles. 



Lastly, irregular corpuscles, very much smaller, appear free 

 in the spaces left between the fibres. These corpuscles 

 resemble the white globules of the blood and the embryonic 

 cells. When picrocarminate is added to the prej^aration, 

 nuclei are discovered in the interior of the granulated plates 

 and in the corpuscles. 



The following are the facts which result from the pre- 

 ceding observations : — 



1st. Cellular tissue is essentially formed by the connective 

 bundles, elastic fibres, and cells. Neither lamina; nor pores 

 are observed in it, therefore the words laminar tissue and 

 cribriform tissue are incorrect. 



2nd. The bundles of connective fibres are cylindrical ; they 

 are very variable in diameter ; they are limited by a sjDCcial 

 layer, a sort of membrane of annular fibres or of spiral 

 fibres. These fibres appear to be a simple thickening of the 

 membrane ; like the latter, they are coloured by the carmine, 

 and in this respect they differ from elastic fibres. 



3rd. All the cells observed in connective tissue arc formed 

 by a mass of granular protoplasm ; they contain perfectly 

 formed nuclei. They are not all alike. Some are flat, present 



