CAUSE OF CANCER. 181 



vascularity, and colour, as they do in other parts of the 

 body. Sometimes the tumours are white, firm, arid 

 fibrous (scirrhous, hard) ; sometimes they are pulpy and 

 whitish, or greyish, presenting a strong resemblance to 

 BRAIN, and which led Laennec to apply the term 

 Eucephaloid ; sometimes the tumours are extremely vas- 

 cular, and full of blood, which led Hey and Wardrop to 

 give it the name of Fungus Hsematodes ; sometimes the 

 tumours are dark or sooty, which led Laennec to give it 

 the name of Melanosis (black) ; sometimes the tumours 

 are filled with a gelatiniform or gluey substance, which 

 led Velpeau to designate it as Colloid from the Greek 

 (*6XAa glue). 



ETIOLOGICALLY. The immediate cause of the develop- 

 ment of cancer in the liver, like that of cancer in 

 general, is entirely unknown. We are only acquainted 

 with those external conditions which accompany the 

 development of this pest of humanity, and which it is 

 the custom to connect, although remotely, with the 

 disease. In speculating, however, on the cause of 

 cancer, the question immediately arises, is the germ of 

 this baneful disease a true parasite, introduced from 

 without ; or is it generated within the body, and of the 

 materials of the body, under the influence of certain 

 morbid agencies ? The strongest plea in favour of the 

 theory is this, that cancer originates in various 

 organs, and has in all of them independent vitality and 

 will. This is clearly shown in continued 

 increase in the primary tumour, however small it may 

 have been ; besides, it is further and fully proved that 

 the transplanting of one or more germs from the primary 

 tumour to a distant part of the body, is sufficient of 



