OF THE SKIN. 127 



The pathological conditions of the fat-cells, although as yet but little 

 investigated, corroborate my assertion of the constant occurrence of the 

 nucleus. Without relying upon Schwann's observation, that the fat- 

 cells of the subcutaneous cellular tissue of a rachitic child a year old, all 

 contained a nucleus, I would more particularly adduce the condition of 

 the fat-cells in cutaneous dropsy. In this affection, as long as the fat 

 in the imnmcuhis adiposus has not entirely disappeared, cells containing 

 serum, and but a small quantity of fat, are extremely abundant, and 

 exactly of the same form as those which arc found in emaciated subjects, 

 all with distinct nuclei ; and, besides these, there are num.erous cells con- 

 taining nothing but serum and also nucleated. In cases where the fat 

 may be said to have altogether disappeared, and the colorless subcuta- 

 neous cellular tissue is infiltrated throughout Avith water, I find the last- 

 mentioned cells in greatly preponderating quantity, and associated with 

 them, others of peculiar form. In the first place, fusiform or stellate 

 cells, with from three to five irregular, often tolerably long processes, 

 with a distinct nucleus, and mostly only scanty and minute, dark fat- 

 granules ; these, as the very numerous and various transitionary forms 

 indicate, being developed from diminished cells containing serum, and 

 from which the fat has been partially or wholly removed ; secondly, 

 roundish or elongated minute cells (0-003-0-006 of a line) closely filled 

 with dark granules, and without a visible nucleus, which, as is also 

 easy to be perceived, owe their origin to a diminution of the fat-cells 

 coincident with a change in their contents, and, on the other hand, are 

 metamorphosed into the cellules with little or no fat, and containing 

 serum, with which they are found associated. I may also mention that, 

 in the inflamed medulla in the articular ends of the bones, as, according 

 to Hasse, appears to be the case in rheumatism, I have seen the com- 

 mon fat cells transformed into round and even fusiform cells, contain- 

 ing serum and little fat, and occasionally furnished with nuclei. (From 

 KbUiker, "Mikrosk. Anat.," Vol. II. p. 18.) 



§ 36. Vessels of the Skin. — In the subcutaneous cellular tissue the 

 arteries entering the skin give off many branches to the hair-follicles 

 (see below), the fat-lobules and the smooth muscles, which, for the most 

 part, form wide-meshed networks of fine capillaries ; more rarely, par- 

 ticularly in the fat-lobules, the network is closer. More externally they 

 supply the sudoriparous and sebaceous glands (see below), and also form 

 terminal expansions in the inner part of the coriuni [pars reticularis), 

 but not many : finally, they penetrate into the outermost part of the 

 papillary layer, and into" the papillce themselves, where they terminate 

 in a close network of capillaries with narrow meshes. This consists, 

 wherever there are papillce^ of two portions ; firstly, of a horizontal 



