OF THE AMYLOID DEGENERATION. 139 



these it extended almost through the entire thickness of the 

 cortical substance. Higher up the alteration was more con- 

 fined to the peripheral portions of the glands in which the 

 afferent lymphatics open, the substance surrounding the hilus 

 and the inner portion of the cortical substance retaining their 

 normal aspect. It could be readily perceived even with the 

 naked eye, but still better Avith a lens, that the substance was 

 not uniformly affected, but that the change had taken place in 

 the points, which in a normal lymphatic gland, are visible as 

 white, round, vesicular spots — the follicles or alveoli. 



Microscopic examination entirely confii-med this supposi- 

 tion, and the chemical reaction fully established the identity 

 of this morbid condition of the lymphatic glands with that 

 formerly described by the Author under the term sago-sjileen. 

 In the lymphatic glands, as in the spleen, the follicles appear 

 to constitute the proper seat of the affection, and in the one 

 case, as in the other, the proper gland-cells (lymph-corpuscles) 

 are destroyed in proportion to the amount in which the new 

 substance is deposited. The follicles or alveoli enlarge at the 

 same time, so as to attain to the size of a small pin's head, 

 although the enlargement is never so considerable as in the 

 splenic follicles. The deposited substance consists of com- 

 paratively large (0'04 — O'OS™™), rounded, or subangular cor- 

 puscles, of a pale, colourless, homogeneous aspect, and breaking 

 up under pressure in such a way that their solid structure is 

 plainly discernible. In many cases might be perceived minute, 

 superficial depressions, rounded or stelliform, and usually one 

 or two in number, in which a minute, nucleiform body was 

 often seen lying. Amongst them was spread a fine network, 

 composed of stellate elements, in the nodular points of which 

 1 — 2 manifest nuclei were usually contained. Even on the 

 simple addition of iodine the pale corpuscles assumed a beau- 

 tiful yellowish-red colour, and on the application of a solution 

 of iodine in hydriodate of potass, they were rendered distinctly 

 bluish-red, which, on the subsequent addition of sulphuric 

 acid, or of ioduretted chloride of zinc, became the most 

 beautiful violet, gradually passing into a deep blue. 



This degeneration, however, was not confined solelv to the 

 follicular elements, it being evident that the fine arterial 

 vessels of the interstitial tissue had undergone a similar 

 change in their tunics. They were thickened, and the lumen 

 was contracted ; whilst the walls, which appeared shinino- 

 and almost homogeneous, afforded the most marked reaction. 

 This change in the vessels, however, was also confined to the 

 proper cortical substance of the gland ; neither in the medul- 

 lary substance, nor externally to the gland, was anything of 



