312 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



sclerosis in a spiual cord or brain otherwise quite healtby, and 

 discussed the question as to whether the changes described might 

 not be the commencement of secondary degenerations of nervea, 

 as is seen to result from inactivity of a nerve arising from any 

 cause, or of the wasting of certain nerve-fibres, that might go on 

 to worse changes. 



Mr. Schafer took exception to the name as giving the idea of 

 fibrous or cicatricial tissue, whereas what had been described was 

 rather colloid in nature, for at times it could be stained intensely. 

 He had seen miliary sclerosis in the brain of a supposed healthy 

 dog that had been hardened in chromic acid, and from tliis he 

 concluded that the alcohol used to prepare the specimens could 

 not be tlie cause of the " sclerosis," as had been alleged, seeing 

 that he had used none. As the disease followed no special tracts 

 he considered it could not be simply degeneration of nerve- 

 fibres. 



Dr. Matthews asked whether coincident disease — as atheroma — 

 of the vessels of the brain had been noticed. 



The President had seen miliary sclerosis accompanied by cal- 

 careous change in the vessels, and in a case where death resulted 

 from cerebral hseraorrhage ; also in preparations of brain made by 

 Dr. Crisp from the lower animals, and hardened in chromic 

 acid. 



Mr. Kesteven, in reply, considered the term sclerosis certainly 

 more applicable to the cases where the disease occurs en jjMques. 

 There was nothing of fibrous nature in the condition he had been 

 describing; still, Dr. Tuke had given the name originally. He 

 did not consider the alteration colloid, though at first sight re- 

 sembling it ; nor had he noticed the change in connection with 

 atheromatous vessels, though at times the bodies described were 

 calcareous and gritty (" brain sand"). Agreed with Mr. Schafer 

 in not considering the condition as one of nerve-fibre degeneration, 

 and was, in fact, still seeking an explanation. 



ISth April, 1874. 



Diphtheria. — Dr. Greenfield read a paper which was founded upon 

 the microscopical examination of speciinens from five cases of diph- 

 theria, and was illustrated by preparations. The author, in remark- 

 ing upon the obscurity and doubt which still seemed to exist upon 

 the origin and structure of the dipiithi'ritic false membrane, stated 

 his belief that this arose in part from the confusion in the 

 nomenclature in cosnmon use, especially the iact that ' croupous ' 

 and ' diphtheiitic ' were terms used in diiierent senses, clinically 

 and histologiciilly. 



An examination of his cases showed in all, in the larynx and 

 trachea, the mucous membrane surrounding the deeper tissues in 

 a state of more or less intense inflammation of ordinary character, 

 whilst the false membrane consisted for the most part of a 



