PROCEEDINGS OP SOCIETIES. 283 



had been done to the blood, and that nature had found a good outlet 

 for disordered and disarranged elements, the antecedents or cause of 

 the fever. 



When great mortality attended fevers or the dangerous ordeal of 

 inflammatory abscess, suppuration and iilceration had to be passed 

 through before recovery — much greater damage was implied, a greater 

 augmentation of the fever poison, and a greater difficulty in eliminating 

 it. There could not be a shadow of a doubt that blood was liable to 

 as many accidents as the solid parts, and that inflanmiation was a 

 struggle of nature to set matters to rights— a struggle which might 

 be described as a more or less complete return of blood and blood- 

 vessels within its area to the early stages of embryo growth. If an 

 injury to a solid part was slight, no retrogression of blood-vessels 

 took place. The blood rushed to the part, but there was nothing to 

 be repaired; the injured parts recovered themselves, and there the 

 matter stopped — this was simj^le inflammation. If more damage had 

 been done, then the blood-vessels returned to the embryo state, and 

 according to the gravity of the damage and the healing work to be 

 done, so was the need of surgical help urgent. Likewise, in trivial 

 cases of blood disorder, if the morbid humour could be worked out 

 without material change in the coats of the vessels, the action was 

 comprehended under the term rashes, pimples, &c., — examples of 

 simple inflammation. But in graver examples of blood-poisoning, 

 when blood-vessels must retrograde to satisfy the needs of the damaged 

 blood, the action was comprised under other terms, all referring to 

 different degrees of the physiological work designed for the cure of 

 local injuries, blood-poisoning — a physiological work amply vindi- 

 cated its place in Natural History, without in the least degree dimi- 

 nishing the need of the experienced superintendence of the physician 

 in regulating, controlling, and diverting the various forms in which it 

 appeared in blood disorders. 



Beading Microscopical Society.* 



March 6th, 1872. — Captain Lang presided. 



Mr. Tatem contributed a short paper " On a Presumed Form of 

 Actino^jhryan Life." In it he referred to swarms of germs which 

 eventually assume a spinose form, and have a forward movement 

 effected by means of a vibrating filament. After some time these 

 seltle down, flatten themselves, and, throwing out pseudopoda, become 

 Adinoph-ys sol. In this stage they were said to be very voracious, 

 eating largely of Astasia margaratifera. By subsequent change the 

 pseudopoda disappear, and the earlier forms are resumed ; but these 

 the writer believed to be, in reality, advanced forms. 



Captain Lang exhibited a slide of grouped diatoms presented to 

 him by Mr. Cole. This contained forty-nine forms, systematically 

 disposed, and it would bo difficult to find a fault in their arrange- 



* Report supplied by Mr. B. J. Austin. 

 VOL. Vll. " V 



