8 DU. BEALEj OX THE TISSUES. 



thi-oiigliout the Avliole of its substance is iu this iusiauce also 

 rciulcred possi))lc/^ 



A specimen of the '•' mucous tissue '' from the umbilical 

 cord -was placed and passed round, under a power of 130 

 diameters. The texture appeared to be composed of delicate 

 fibres "with oval nuclei, which were for the most part arranged 

 to form the boundaries of small circular spaces, in which were 

 seen more delicate fibres arranged w ithout regularity. The 

 interspaces between the fibres Dr. Beale said were occupied 

 with a transparent fluid. 



In the next specimen some of the filires and their nuclei 

 were seen under a power of 700 diameters. 



The preparations of this tissue which liaAC been made by 

 Dr. Beale, exhibit a great number of the so-called fibre cells. 

 In veiy many instances the continuity of the germinal matter 

 w^ith the outer fibrous portion of each elementary part is most 

 distinct. The lecturer had not succeeded in demonstrating 

 the appearance figured and described by Yirchow. What 

 appears to be a space or cavity in the centre of the elementary 

 parts is really occupied with germinal matter, and the ap- 

 parent tubes contain prolongations of this with the recently 

 formed and soft fibrous tissue, which very readily breaks 

 down. The arrangement of the fibrous tissue was shown in 

 a drawing. It Avould be noticed that there was not the 

 slightest resemblance between the draA^dng and A'irchow's 

 figures. (See pages 98 and 100 of Dr. Chance's Trans- 

 lation.) 



In another specimen some of the muscular fibre cells 

 which form a very thick layer around the arteries of the cord 

 were shown. The relation and mode of formation of the 

 formed material in both structures was the same, but its 

 properties were very diff'erent. 



The so-called '' mucous tissue " of the cord seems to be 

 composed of a soft form of fibrous tissue which is produced iu 

 the same manner as the formed material of other tissues. 

 Dr. Beale had not been able to make out in it an arrangement 

 of channels as Yirchow has described. He could not, there- 

 fore, agi'ce with his statements with reference to the existence 

 of a special canalicular system for the circulation of the nu- 

 trient juices in this tissue. 



Bone. — Specimens illustrating how the perfect and more 

 permanent bone is produced by changes at the periosteal sur- 

 face were brought forward. In the figures ^generally given 

 the cells are themselves seen to become stellate^ while iu Dr. 

 Beale's drawings and specimens, the stellate appearance was 

 shown to depend^ not upon any alteration iu the form or position 



