244 METAMORPHOSIS OF TISSUE. 



phates and potash-salts, together with moderate quantities of 

 chloride of sodium, whilst those exudations which exhibited a 

 tendency to the formation of pus -corpuscles and cancer-cells 

 always contained very large quantities of chloride of sodium in 

 addition to these salts. It was first observed by Heller,* and 

 subsequently by Redtenbacher,t that in pneumonia, a disease in 

 which the exudation is generally transformed into cyto'id cor- 

 puscles (grey hepatization), chloride of sodium is constantly 

 retained in the body, and can scarcely, therefore, be detected in 

 the urine. We find, moreover, in mucus (a fluid which consists 

 almost entirely of a humid mass of cells) the animal juice, which 

 contains a far larger quantity of chloride of sodium than any other 

 animal fluid, whilst even in the cellular tissues as well as in the 

 permanent cartilages and the still-un ossified bones, we meet with 

 the largest constant amount of chloride of sodium. We also learn 

 from FrerichsJ that the synovial fluid, which is so rich in cells and 

 epithelium, contains a large amount of chloride of sodium in 

 solution ; and Schottin's recent experiments on the constitution of 

 the sweat have unquestionably shown its richness in this salt. 

 When we consider that the scales of the epithelium of the mucous 

 membranes as well as of the epidermis are moistened by a fluid 

 which is more richly charged than any other with chloride of 

 sodium, and when we observe that the greatest amount of this salt 

 is found in the structures which are richest in cells, we shall 

 scarcely be falling into error if we seek to establish a very intimate 

 relation between the presence of this salt and the formation of 

 cells. Now the horny tissues and the hair, which consist to a 

 great extent, or almost wholly, of cells, contain no very large amount 

 of common salt ; but this fact does not prove that the presence 

 of this substance is immaterial to their formation ; for the cells of 

 the hair and other horny tissues are either atrophied or destroyed, 

 whilst those of the cartilaginous tissues are still fresh, and hence 

 serve to convey chloride of sodium. If the presence of this salt be 

 necessary for the development of the horny tissues, and especially 

 of the hair, we have a simple explanation of the fact observed by 

 Boussingault in his experiments, that the growth of the hair was 

 injuriously affected in those cattle which were fed without any 

 admixture of salt in their fodder. 



In respect to the other mineral constituents which occur in 



* Arch. f. Chem. u. Mikrosk. Bd. 1, S. 214. 



t Wien. Zeitschr. Bd. 6, No. 8. 



Handworterbuch der Physiologic. Bd. 3, Abt. 1, S. 463-4C8. 



