148 QUARTERLY CHRONICLE. 
multiple, exactly like those of pus-cells. Whole layers of 
perfect pus-corpuscles are thus formed. But, of course, 
more complicated shapes occur as well—among these, for 
instance, many such pus-cell-lke bodies enclosed within one 
large sphere. If, instead of water, serum be added to the 
thinly spread myeline, biconcave discs will form, only 
generally much larger than blood-corpuscles. “Cells ”’ being 
thus merely the physical result of chemical changes, they can 
no longer afford a last retreat to those specific forces called 
vital. Physiology must aim at being something more than 
the study of the functions of a variety of ultimate organic 
units ; and pathology will gain new hope in considering that 
it is not really condemned to be the interpreter of the many 
abnormities to which the mysterious life of myriads of micro- 
scopical individuals seemed to be liable. 
Annals and Magazine of Natural History. Jan.,1867.— On the 
Organs of Circulation in Helix,” by Charles Robertson, Demon- 
strator of Anatomy, Oxford.—The author of this paper has 
kindly furnished us with a statement of the important con- 
clusions derived from his researches. 1. A perfect injection can 
be made from the ventricle, of the arterial, capillary and venous 
systems, without any of the injection extravasating into the 
cavity of the body, and forming lacune of previous writers. 
2. The existence of a capillary system of vessels between the 
arteries and veins in all parts of the body. 3. The kidney is 
not supplied with venous blood, but with arterial, which is 
collected from the posterior portion of the pulmonary 
chamber. 4. Injections from the foot or tentacle will, after 
a good deal of pressure, find its way into the veims and 
capillaries. This does not show that there is any direct com- 
munication between the veins and the cavity of the body, for 
it often happens when the veins of any of the mammalia are 
injected with size and vermilion, the size (but not the vermilion) 
will transude through the walls of the veins into the lacteals, 
often completely injecting them, and showing their branches 
much more completely than by injections from the lacteals 
themselves.* Much the same process takes place when 
the injection is forced into the cavity of the body; after 
a good deal of pressure the minute spaces are much distended 
with injection, and it transudes from them through the walls 
of the delicate veins, and so fills the venous system. 
“< On the Perforate Structure of the Shell of Spirifer cuspi- 
datus,” by Wm. B. Carpenter, M.D., F.R.S.—We extract the 
following letter entire, which will explain itself:—‘I read 
* Todd and Bowman’s ‘ Physiology,’ vol. ii, 1856, p. 473. 
