ANATOMICAL CHARACTERS. H99 



them. Previous to making a more minute examination, we 

 observe in many instances, on opening the abdomen, that the 

 bowels generally, and less frequently the walls of the cavity, 

 are extensively marked with ecch3^moses and suggilations, also 

 that there exists a varying amount of fluid. The glands of 

 the abdomen, the spleen, Kver, and kidney, are more or less 

 changed in appearance ; they seem swollen, as if filled with 

 blood, and on being manipulated feel soft. In some cases the 

 appearance of the liver particularly has been noted as the 

 opposite of this, being pale in colour, and feeling somewhat 

 hard. 



The lining membrane of the alimentary canal, from the 

 stomach to the large intestine, exhibits considerable alteration 

 of structure, varying both as to extent and degree. It is either 

 swollen, soft and pulpy over considerable portions from infiltra- 

 tion into the submucous layer, or there are isolated patches of 

 varying size exhibiting blood-extravasations, or more extended 

 tracts, where, from the character of the effused products, in- 

 flammatory action seems to have been active. The muscular 

 tissue of the heart is soft and flaccid, and the blood in both 

 ventricles fluid ; the endocardium not ecchymosed, but stained ; 

 the lungs congested, and blood in pulmonary vessels fluid, with 

 the bronchi full of frothy mucus. In all the acute cases 

 which I have examined, the braui and its membranes have 

 been congested, with a variable amount of fluid in the lateral 

 ventricles and subarachnoid space. Not only have the vessels 

 of the pia mater seemed full and distended, but on cutting 

 into the cerebral substance minute vessels were visible, where 

 in health none could be detected. 



2. In the instances of plumbism, or quiet impregnation of 

 the system with the metaUic compounds, the tissue-changes 

 are essentially similar. The only organs which appear to offer 

 any variation are the great nerve-centres. Here neither the 

 brain nor its membranes exhibit a condition of congestion ; in 

 many instances the indications are of an opposite character, 

 the brain-substance being paler than natural, and rather softer, 

 as if containing more fluid, and in a state of defective nutrition. 

 The local swellings in connection with the joints are made up 

 of a collection of subcutaneous and super-periosteal effused 

 material, of a hyaline structureless nature, with, in certain 



