254 T)R. BEALE_, ON THE TISSUES. 



language generally employed, the nucleus gradually dimi- 

 nishes while the cell increases in extent^ as we ascend from 

 the deep part of the bulb upwards towards the shaft, until, 

 when we arrive at the dry part of the hair, the cells (cor- 

 tex) are destitute of nuclei. The change is explained very 

 simply by the author's view, and follows of necessity, because 

 the supply of nutrient material to the elementary parts 

 gradually diminishes from below upwards. 



The structure of morbid growths. — A thin section from a 

 tumour which grew very rapidly was the next specimen. It ap- 

 peared at the lower angle of the scapula of a boy, aged twelve 

 years, and when first noticed was about the size of a bantam's 

 egg. In six months it measured twenty-seven inches in cir- 

 cumference. It was firm and hard, and was intimately ad- 

 herent to the scapula. The case occurred in the practice of 

 Dr. Elin, of Hertford. The friends would not consent to 

 have the mass removed, and it continued to grow for about 

 twelve months after its first appearance, when haemorrhage 

 occurred from some large veins on the surface of the tu- 

 mour, and the boy died of exhaustion. The mass was of 

 the same character throughout. Dr. Elin says : — " It sur- 

 rounded the scapula, which was partly absorbed. The bone 

 was very brittle, breaking like a piece of glass. I have no 

 doubt that the tumour originally spread from the perios- 

 teum of the margin of the scapula.'' An aunt or cousin of 

 the boy seems to have died of a similar tumour several 

 years ago. The relation of the germinal matter to the 

 formed material is well seen in this specimen, and the free, 

 but irregular, mode of growth of the elementary parts is 

 also well shown. 



In a section of a tumour, about the size of a walnut, 

 connected with the parotid gland, the remains of some of 

 the gland-follicles were seen, and as the elementary parts 

 in them were dead and undergoing disintegration, they 

 were not coloured by the carmine. On the other hand, 

 the actively growing tissue contained a large amount of 

 germinal matter, every separate mass of which was darkly 

 coloured. The growing tissue insinuates itself in every di- 

 rection, and where the parts of the growth first formed are 

 becoming old and are losing their vital activity, offsets 

 from the more recently developed parts may be seen in- 

 vading them. 



In these morbid growths we have no difficulty in demon- 

 strating the existence of germinal matter and formed materiil, 

 and even cursory observation of the tissue affords abundaat 

 evidence of its wonderful power of rapid growth. Although 



