THE CONNECTIVE SUBSTANCE GROUP. 83 



from tliis cavity are minute canals, which communicate with 

 those of other capsules in many instances, and thus, in all 

 probability, establish a system of serous channels which convey 

 the plasmatic fluid, i.e., the lymph. 



Many years ago H. Mueller gave a description of minute passages radiating 

 out from the cartilage capsules. Since this time the matter has been studied 

 by numbers of observers, but opinions have been divided as to their existence. 

 More recently A. Budge has detailed a method by which he claims that a 

 complete lymphatic system can be demonstrated in hyaline cartilage. Em- 

 ploying a solution of Berlin blue, he injected the cartilage of an epiphysis from 

 which the articular lamella had been cut off. Having thus opened and exposed 

 the substance of the cartilage, he found it permeated with minute blue net- 

 works that were in communication with the cartilage capsules. A connection 

 with the lymphatics of the bone was also shown. 



Nykamp, who prosecuted his investigations about the same time (1876-77), 

 verified the work of Budge, though his methods were different. He experi- 

 mented on rabbits, injecting one gramme of indigo carmine (in substance) 

 into the abdominal cavity. Blue granules appeared in certain spaces, which 

 had shown themselves to be hollow passages by a previous soaking in the neu- 

 tral chromate of ammonia. The cartilage commonly known as hyaline was 

 also, by this means, shown to be fibrillated. 



Round about every cartilage capsule there is usually an 

 area' of hyaline material. When very thin sections of cartilage 

 are made, these areas sometimes become visible ; soaking in 

 acids is said also to bring them into prominence (Klein). 



The amount of intercellular substance in comparison with 

 the capsules varies ; as a rule, there is less of this substance 

 near the periphery of the cartilage. When the amount is so 

 very small that the tissue is almost cellular, it is called par- 

 encJiymatous cartilage ; this condition is observed in all carti- 

 lages, at an early stage of development, and in some portions 

 of the adult forms. The cartilage corpuscles are rounded 

 bodies, sometimes oval and sometimes pyriform. In the nor- 

 mal condition they fill up the capsule, but after the application 

 of reagents that shrivel, such as alcohol, they are withdrawn 

 from the walls of the capsules, being only attached at a few 

 points (perhaps where their processes extend out through the 

 canaliculi). 



The cell-corpuscles and nuclei are said, by some recent ob- 

 servers, to exhibit networks in their interior (Schleicher and 

 Flemmirig). They frequently contain, in addition, moving 

 bodies, which are often oil-globules of minute size. 



