M. H. Karstcn on Fatty avd AmyloiJ Hysterophymata. 349 



XXXVI. — On Fatty and Amyloid Hystero2)hyviata. 

 By H. Karsten. 



During the last decennia the form of those small organized 

 corpuscles which occur in the diseased, dying, and dead tissues 

 of organisms, and in fermenting and putrefying fluids, &c., 

 cellular vegetations which I have named Hysterophymata 

 (see ' Faulniss und Ansteckung ') , as they only originate 

 from already existing specific organisms as morbid formations, 

 has been frequently the subject of observation ; but their 

 chemical constitution has hitherto scarcely been referred to. 



That these ferment-corpuscles are pathological cells, but 

 not specific organisms, that their form is dependent on the 

 prevalent conditions of nutrition, and that therefore their dif- 

 ferent developmental forms, produced by these conditions, do, 

 not make their appearance in a regular cycle as in the deve- 

 lopment of organic species, has been already proved by me 

 partly in this Journal (1874, vol. xiii. p. 161 et seqq.)^ and 

 partly in other places there referred to. 



In like manner, the sequence of chemical actions during 

 the process of the development of these cell-vegetations is not 

 definitely limited and regular in its course like that which 

 constantly repeats itself in endless cycles and with but slight 

 deviations during the development of the seed or the eg^^ but 

 is dependent upon the passing chemical constitution of the 

 nutritive fluid and the physical conditions. 



That these pathological cells, which accompany the morbid 

 processes of organic creatures,which often produce these, and may 

 even, under certain circumstances, cause the death of organisms, 

 produce from themselves by their assimilation-processes many 

 different products, colouring and odoriferous matters, organic 

 acids, &c., which are usually regarded as products of organic 

 decomposition, has been explained by me in my ^ Chemismus 

 der Pflanzenzelle ' and elsewhere. On account of the extreme 

 smallness of these bodies, however, it has hitherto been very 

 difficult to convince one's self of the production of these matters 

 by their assimilating membrane. Tlie physical and chemical 

 properties of fat and amyloid, which matters, as I have ascer- 

 tained by experiment and observation, are also produced by 

 the assimilating activity of these hysterophymata, consider- 

 ably facilitate our acquisition of this conviction ; for just as 

 the fats which are developed by the normal process of life of 

 plants and animals owe their origin, according to my inves- 

 tigations *, to the assimilating membrane of the oil-, fat-, and 



* H. Karsteu, ' Gesammelte Eeitriige' &c. pp. 107, 278, 313, &c. : 

 C. Harz, '< Olivenol," Bericlit der Wieuer Akad. 1870, 



