198 ROBERT K. S. LIM 



in tho superficial luilf of the gland, and may form the sole 

 lining of a ])ortion of the gland-tube. They may be found even 

 bt^twecn tlie columnar cells of the gland-duets. In shape 

 (judging from vertical and transverse sections) they are roughly 

 pyriiinidal, but there are many variations from ovoid to 

 crescentic. Unlik(» the peptic and mucoid cells the granules 

 of the oxyntic cells are very tine, and are not readily attacked 

 by reagents. They are fixed by all the methods empkn^ed ; 

 with osjnic a,cid those situated innnediately underneath the 

 membrane of the cell may be demonstrated to ])v lipoid in 

 character. Similar observations have been made by Bohm 

 and Davidoff (4) in the rat. The staining reactions of the 

 oxyntic cell-granules are as follows : red with alcoholic eosin 

 and methylene blue, haematoxylin and eosin and j\Iallory ; 

 pale })lue with polychrome methylene blue ; and dark brown 

 with osmic. 



The nucleus is spherical and usually central. Occasionally 

 it is excentric or there may be two nuclei within the same cell. 



A number of the cats examined showed the presence of 

 parasitic spirochaetes (Lim (18)). These organisms were 

 sometimes found within oxj^itic cells in what appeared to be 

 a single dilated canaliculus, continuity with the lumen of the 

 gland being demonstrated. Otherwise there was no histo- 

 logical disturbance. Vacuoles may often be seen within the 

 oxyntic cells of all animals. 



With regard to functional changes, oxyntic cells appear on 

 the whole to become larger (Heidenhain) during digestion 

 and their granules more easily distinguished, being less closely 

 packed together and probably fewer in number. The differ- 

 ence, however, is not marked, and ma}" be partly due to 

 shrinkage of the central cells. 



It ought to be noted that oxyntic cells occur throughout the 

 whole stomach, being absent only some 8 mm. from the 

 oesophagus and about 15 mm. from the pyloro-duodenal 

 junctiono The oxyntic cells of the pyloric boundary zone are 

 somewhat small in size and are situated mainly in the super- 

 ficial portion of the gland ; they are probably primitive in 



