138 VIRCHOW, ON THE COURSE 



discerned, from which it might be concluded a priori whether 

 the parts would be acted upon by the iodine or not; neither 

 in the matrix, nor in corpuscles, did the spots, which were 

 afterwards coloured, exhibit before the addition of the iodine, 

 any difference from those which remained uncoloured ; nor, 

 excepting the rather remarkable microscopical condition of the 

 whole cartilage, could it be said that these cartilages presented 

 any appearance by which they could be distinguished from 

 many other senile cartilages in which the reaction did not 

 occur. This circumstance, with regard to the cartilages, is 

 perhaps of the more importance to be noted, as a strong con- 

 trast in this respect was presented in other parts, and espe- 

 cially in the glandular organs, in all of which, especially in 

 more advanced stages of the affection, in the portions where the 

 amyloid change had taken place, a degree of softening inde- 

 pendent of any reagent might be recognised, and particularly 

 the presence of a brilliant, pale, thickening substance. 



A farther step in advance was made on the inspection of the 

 body of a boy aged 13 years, who had died of albuminuria and 

 dropsy, following spondi/Iarthrocasis. In this case there 

 existed almost complete destruction of the intervertebral sub- 

 stance between the last lumbar vei'tebra and sacrum, together 

 with caries of the contiguous bodies of the vertehrce, and ex- 

 tensive sinuses passing through the sciatic notch and over the 

 crista ilii, running far between the muscles of the buttock 

 and thigh which were in a state of fatty degeneration, and 

 opening externally by large fistulous orifices. No tubercles 

 existed in any part, not even in the lungs ; a single gland in 

 the mediastinum only was enlarged, and filled with a cheesy, 

 necrotic matter. On the other liand, there was very far ad- 

 vanced parenchymatous nephritis, with amyloid degeneration 

 of the (/lome7'nli, sago-spleen, and slight enlargement of the 

 liver, whose cells, close to the portal vessels, were filled with 

 fat, whilst the interior of the acini was occupied with amyloid 

 substance. All the waxy parts of the spleen, liver, and kid- 

 neys afforded, with iodine alone, a distinct reaction, obvious 

 even to the naked eye, and on the addition of sulphuric acid, 

 a beautiful violet and blue colour. 



The condition of the lumbar glands was especially worthy 

 of attention. They were much enlarged, and presented exter- 

 nally a peculiar bluish-green, transparent aspect. On section, 

 the medullary substance (hihis) appeared unchanged, whilst 

 the cortical portion was more or less completely transformed 

 into a clear, anaemic, transparent, nearly colourless gelatiniform 

 substance. This condition was most apparent in the glands 

 situated nearest to the diseased portion of the spine, and in 



