The Microscope. 89 



Origin of Sarcomata. — Dr. Jos. Schobl, of Prague, has a very 

 valuable paper in the September number of Archiv Filr Mic. Anat., 

 entitled "'A Sarcoma Composed of Epithilial-Hke Cells of Lymphoid- 

 Cell Origin." The tumor in question was found to be composed of 

 cells not to be differentiated from epithilium, and mixed in with these 

 in all portions of the tumor were large number's of lymphoid cells. 

 Between the two were found all possible gradations in form. It 

 might be made an objection that the lymphoid cells were present as 

 the result of inflammatory action; but this is disproven by the fact 

 that, in the hundreds of sections made, the most striking intermedi- 

 ate cell- forms were found in all. Again, the tumor, after its first 

 removal, recuiTed with such rapidity as to till the orbit in a couple 

 of weeks (it grew originally from the lower lid). None of these 

 epithihal-like cells were found in stages of subdivision, though many 

 possessed double nuclei, and a few had taken on the character of 

 giant cells. Considering the rapid growth, it seems, therefore, im- 

 possible that these cells could have arisen from others of like 

 character. Whence did they come then ? For an answer, Schobl 

 refers to the transitional forms found between them and the 

 lymphoid cells. The question now arises: If lymphoid cells can give 

 rise to the epithelial-like cells found in the sarcomata, why should 

 they not create cancer cells as well ? And, finally, what is the mean- 

 ing of the large numbers of lymphoid cells found in the growing 

 portions of cancer, i. e., the so-called indifferent tissue of the 

 periphery Y 



Nerve-Endings in the Cutaneous Epithelium or the Tadpole. — 

 Mr. A. B. Macallum, in his second essay on this subject, states that 

 there are two plexuses of non-medullated fibres, one wide-meshed, set 

 some distance below the corium, and the other very narrow-meshed 

 immediately below the epithilium. The first may be called the pri- 

 mary or fundamental jjlexus, and it sends up fibres which unite with 

 the secondary or sub-epithilial plexus. From the former fibres also 

 pass up and terminate in swollen bead-like bodies between the epi- 

 thelial cells. From the latter minute fibres arise, which either 

 terminate within the epithehal cells, near their nuclei, or between 

 them. The fibres, which enter cells of the basal and intermediate 

 layers of the epithelium are provided with the figures of Elberth ; 

 these decrease in size as the cells containing them show fewer and 

 fewer signs of vitality. The figures appear, therefore, to protect the 

 intracellular ends of the nerve fibres from the vital processes of the 

 cells. These figvires are the production of the intracellular end of 

 thft nerve fibres, and are formed by, or from the cell protoplasm. 



