1864. | The Microscopical Society. 297 
composed. It has been shown that both the red and white corpuscles 
of the blood vary very considerably in size; and Dr. Beale has 
satisfied himself that some, if not all the minute granular particles 
described by him, grow into white and red corpuscles. He also sees 
no reason why corpuscles may not exist in the blood, of such a size 
as to be actually invisible to the human eye, even when assisted with 
the powerful adjunct of a 25th objective. The granular particles 
absorb nutriment from the medium in which they float, and undergo 
numerous subdivisons, producing other similar granules destined to 
become blood-corpuscles. The motive power which enables the 
granules thus to subdivide, has no connection with the nucleus or 
nuclear matter, but resides solely in the so-called “ basis-substance,” 
which is the semi-transparent matter forming the mass of the cell. 
This “ basis-substance” is not a simple fluid, but consists of very 
minute, colourless particles, free to move upon each other; and Dr. 
Beale believes this motive-power to be an inherent and peculiar 
property of living matter. In cases of inflammation, as, for instance, 
where the capillaries in the foot of the Frog are thus affected, the 
germinal matter is more able to absorb nutrient substance on account 
of the retarded circulation. Hence it is that white corpuscles are so 
abundant in vessels subjected to inflammatory action, masses of clot 
having been observed, which consist of little else but white 
corpuscles. The author, however, does not consider that this 
development from granules of germinal matter is the only mode in 
which white blood-corpuscles are formed. In the development of 
the blood-vessels, the general opinion is that cells become stellate, and 
that the processes formed by the contiguous cells meet together ; and 
thus, it is conceived, the cavities of the adjacent cells become 
connected together by tubes. Dr. Beale has already contested this 
inference and endeavoured to show that, so far from any coalescence 
between cells taking place, the communicating tubes, which are, of 
course, the incipient blood-vessels, are formed by the separation or 
moving away from each other of ‘cells’ which were originally 
contiguous. The walls of the tubes thus formed contain germinal 
matter, which is supposed to be not unfrequently detached in 
small masses, thus giving rise to small corpuscles of a similar nature 
to that of the white corpuscles. The increase of the production of 
white corpuscles is favoured in all conditions in which the access of 
pabulum to these masses of germinal or lining matter is increased. 
In connection with this view of the production of blood-corpuscles, 
Dr. Beale has been led to a theory of the origin of exudations, which 
differs both from that held by those who support the “ exudation 
theory,’ and those who uphold the “cell theory.” He considers 
that portions of the granular bodies in the blood may pass through 
the walls of capillary vessels, and then being surrounded by a 
suitable pabulum, increase and multiply by subdivision, producing 
sometimes clear fluids, at other times viscid, corpusculated masses. 
The question of the coagulation of the blood, which has been so 
much and so variously agitated of late, is also touched upon by the 
author. When discussing the anatomy of the red blood-corpuscles 
