:104 The Microscope. 



•bronchial glands, and their lungs are pigmented, while the 

 country dwellers and all infants have light or even pinkish 

 colored lungs. 



To return to these cases, it is evident that they all have a non- 

 Toacillary phthisis ; the lung-wasting being caused by the deposit 

 of dust which is quite sufficient to cause breaking down. In 

 Case I., in which bacilli were found, my theory is, that the case 

 was not originally bacillar^^ but that the constant irritation of 

 the dust wounded the delicate alveolar walls of the lungs, and 

 "the bacilli being inhaled (for there is always a chance of inhal- 

 ing tubercle bacilli in a country where consumption causes one- 

 seventh of the total mortality), found a suitable nidus in the 

 wounded epithelium. As this case was not primarily bacillary, 

 the chance for recovery was better, and as it so stands, the 

 patient has recently sent me word that he has entirely recovered, 

 just two years after he expectorated tubercle bacilli. 



The changes in the lung substance in those cases is one of so- 

 called chronic pneumonia or fibroid phthisis. The particles of 

 dust act as irritants, and entering the lung subsiance cause a 

 hyperplasia of the connective tisbue, and consequent hypertrophy, 

 so that the alveolar walls, much thickened and hypertrophied, 

 encroach on the alveoli, thus lessening the totid amount of 

 breathing space in the luiigs, and presenting those symptoms of 

 shortness of breath, etc., peculiar to that condition. 



In looking at these cells, there is an inclination to go into the 

 fascinating subject of phagocytosis, as brought forward by Met- 

 jgchnikoff and others, but this would lead to greater length than 

 was intended in this paper, ' 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE FERN GYMNOGRAMMA 

 CHRYSOPHILLA. 



J. AV. MEEKER, M. D. 



THROUGH the kindness of a friend I have recently had the 

 opportunity and pleasure of examining a number of exodc 

 ferns. 



That the exquisite grace and beauty of form displayed by 

 many of them should almost entrance the beholder, and quite 

 defy adequate verbal description, doubtless will not in the least 

 surprise those who are familiar with these grand displays of the 

 handiwork of Nature's wise Architect and Builder. 



