ITS HISTOLOGICAL RELATIONS. 41 



elements of the cartilaginous tissue, namely, the cartilage- cells and 

 their nuclei, which remain undissolved, together with vessels and 

 the coagulated protein-bodies of the blood-plasma. Before the 

 solution of chondrin is perfectly gelatinised, a small deposit is 

 generally formed, and in this these morphological elements may be 

 readily and distinctly recognised by the microscope. But there is 

 a slight opalescence observable even in the clearest solution of 

 chondrin, which is owing to the suspension of these cells and their 

 fragments. The chondrin which has been examined by chemists, 

 must therefore always contain a larger or smaller quantity of 

 morphological elements, which cannot be perfectly removed, even 

 by Hoppers very admirable mode of procedure. We cannot, there- 

 fore, regard the elementary analyses of chondrin as more trust- 

 worthy than those of cartilage itself, since we have to deal in both 

 cases with a mixture of obviously different bodies, and not with a 

 simple chemical combination. It is alike remarkable and worthy 

 of regret that the elementary analyses of these substances should 

 have yielded such identical results; several of our most distin- 

 guished and skilful analysts having found that the composition 

 of cartilage, which abounds in cells, and of chondrin, which contains 

 only few cells, although not entirely devoid of them, is almost 

 entirely identical. Setting aside the cells altogether, there would 

 appear grounds for concluding that the conversion of the cartilage 

 into chondrin depends only upon a deposition of atoms, and not 

 upon chemical decomposition due to the assimilation or elimination 

 of certain elements. 



According to the micro- chemical investigations of Bonders and 

 Mulder, the matrix of cartilage has far less power of resisting the 

 stronger chemical reagents, such as concentrated sulphuric acid or 

 a strong solution of potash, than the cells contained within it. Its 

 behaviour towards concentrated sulphuric acid shows, however, 

 that even this matrix is not a perfectly pure chemical body. Thus, 

 for instance, on the application of concentrated, and afterwards of 

 diluted sulphuric acid, the granules of the granulated cartilage are 

 less rapidly dissolved than the matrix itself, whilst the fibres of the 

 fibrous mass yield still later to this action. It appears, therefore, 

 probable that the matrix may contain three different, although very 

 nearly allied, substances. The question whether the difference 

 existing in these three substances depends upon a different aggre- 

 gation of the very minute mechanical particles, or whether it is of 

 a chemical nature, is one which even the latest observations, made 

 on the chondrin obtained from the decoction of the matrix, have 



