MUCUS. 79 



rally thinner than usual ; but, towards the termination, it be- 

 comes thicker ; the epithelium-cells dimmish, while the mucus- 

 corpuscles increase in number; the reaction continues alkaline; 

 in fact, in most cases it is more strongly so than in the normal 

 state; the fat is increased, and always contains cholesterin; 

 and at the same time there is an excess of albumen. 



Gruby found that mucus secreted by the nasal mucous mem- 

 brane during a state of irritation of that surface, was white, of 

 the consistence of the white of eggs, and had a saline taste. 

 When examined with the microscope, there were only a few 

 epithelium- cells and mucus-corpuscles to be seen. 



I have analysed nasal mucus which accumulated in the upper 

 part of the nose of a man aged thirty years ; it generally came 

 away in the form of thick, tough, yellow lumps, about the size 

 of an ordinary bean, or, if it had only been retained in the nos- 

 tril for a shorter period, it was obtained as an extremely copious, 

 tough, yellow fluid ; it was invariably discharged from only one 

 nostril. This mucus was devoid of odour, had an alkaline 

 reaction, and being moistened with water, (in which it sank,) it 

 exhibited an extraordinarily large quantity of epithelium-cells, 

 and a few mucus-corpuscles, connected by a pretty thick mem- 

 brane of coagulated mucin. When the mucus was gently 

 dried and pressed between the fingers, they presented the same 

 glistening appearance as if they had been pressing fat ; no fat 

 could, however, be distinctly recognised by the microscope in 

 consequence of the dense strata of membrane and mucus-cor- 

 puscles. In 1000 parts of this mucus there were contained : 



Analysis 88. 



Water ..... 880-0 



Solid constituents .... 120-0 



Fat, containing cholesterin . . . 6'0 



Caseous matter, with pyin or mucin in solution . 13'2 



Extractive matters, with lactates and chloride of sodium . 12-0 



Albumen, cells, and coagulated mucin . . 84- 



Gruby found that the mucus secreted during catarrhal 

 affections (slight inflammation) of the mucous membrane of 

 the nose, conjunctiva, fauces, larynx, bronchi, ureters, vagina, 

 and intestinal canal is thicker than the mucus secreted during 

 mere irritation of those membranes; it was thick, tough, 

 lubricous, of a yellowish white colour, and, as it gradually 

 dried, it formed a grayish-yellow elastic mass. It sank in water, 



