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diffusion of lymph corpuscles in connective-tissue mem- 
branes as “lymphatic infiltration” (of the conjunctiva, the 
intestinal villi, &c.). A similar construction of connective 
tissue is seen in the neighbourhood of lymphatic follicles 
wherever these exist, and in part is due to larger lymphatic 
channels filled with leucocytes. 
In the lymphatic follicles, and especially in their central 
portions, the above-mentioned reticular connective tissue 
occurs. The small absolute size of the inoblasts themselves, 
the shortness and manifold ramifications of their processes, 
are combined with a denser accumulation of the inoblasts, 
which are placed closer together, and from all these causes 
that peculiar appearance results which so readily distinguishes 
the tissue of the lymph follicles from all other connective 
tissue. Henle was, therefore, not correct in regarding the 
tissue of the lymphatic follicles as ordinary connective tissue, 
or in denying the existence of its numerous nuclei. 
When the interstices of the reticular connective tissue are 
filled with round cells and albuminous fluid, a soft, spongy 
consistency of the tissue results. This is the case not only 
in the interior of lymphatic follicles, but also in other tissues 
which belong to the lymphatic apparatus—for instance, in 
the intestinal villi. The fundamental tissue consists of the 
fine prolongations of scanty inoblasts, which are stretched 
between the blood capillaries of the villus. In the meshes 
lie numerous lymph corpuscles, separated from one another 
by spaces filled with fluid (ymph). The comparatively 
small number of inoblasts in an equal volume, and the appa- 
rently larger quantity of fluid in proportion to the suspended 
corpuscles, distinguish this tissue from the reticular tissue of 
the spherical lymph follicles. 
Instead of homogeneous, semi-solid fundamental substance, 
there is, then, in reality a network of very fine threads filled 
with fluid. Although invisible when fresh, owing to their 
having almost the same refractive index as the surrounding 
fluid ymph), these threads readily become visible by the 
action of reagents (chromic acid, dilute soda, even water). 
As in other cases, a so-called semi-solid substance shows itself, 
on more accurate investigation, to be made up of solid parts 
and fluid. 
The investigations here communicated date from the 
summer of 1870; their publication was delayed by the war. 
The important result is that the connective-tissue fibres are 
prolongations of cells, not intercellular substance, and that 
there is in this respect a uniformity in all kinds of connective 
tissue. 
