ALTERATION OF CELLULAR ELEMENTS OF MATRIX. 73 



2. Alteration of the Cellular Elements of the Matrix. 



f (a.) Acute Inflammation. The object most suited for the study 

 of the cells of the lymph-canalicular system is afforded by the serous 

 membranes in the inflamed state, and, above all, the omentum minus 

 and mesentery in the condition of acute oedema. I have had the 

 opportunity of examining these membranes in a very large number of 

 guinea-pigs, rabbits^and dogs, in a condition where they were swollen 

 by oedema to five timfes their normal thickness or more ; and here the 

 best results attendec^the examination, both in the fresh condition 

 and after treatmenq^ith silver. In guinea-pigs, as well as in dogs, 

 I induced septicaemia by injecting into the abdominal cavity peritoneal 

 and pleural exudation fluids, which were obtained by certain pysemic 

 processes of an extremely acute process (compare the Keport for the 

 I^ivy Council by Dr. Sanderson, 1872). In rabbits I have seen in 

 some cases ceftma of the omentum coming on after the injection of 

 diluted ammonia into the abdominal cavity, and once after the in- 

 jection of starch. 



After the first twelve to seventy-two hours, cedematous mesen- 

 teries presented on those places where the oedema was very consider- 

 able, the connective tissue bundles much separated from each other ; 

 the cells of the matrix very distinct and isolated. The latter were 

 recognisable in fresh preparations on account of their protoplasm 

 being granular : they were distinctly branched, and connected 

 with each other by processes of extraordinary length. Many appeared 

 in profile, and presented themselves as granular spindle-shaped cells. 

 On the spots where the oedema was not very considerable, the investi- 

 gation was even more instructive, for there the connective tissue 

 bundles of the matrix were not separated much from each other. They 

 were only transparent to an extraordinary degree, whereas the lymph- 

 canalicular system was recognisable as unusually dilated in its lacunae 

 and connecting canals. Here also there were met with appearances 

 which correspond to those represented by Schweigger-Seidel on trans- 

 verse vertical sections through the cornea, namely, the dilated inte* - 



