1896.J MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 3bi'.) 



plate." For iu them we see an extra iutracellular diffuse 

 stain of the same nature as that observed in the granules. 

 From this we may conclude that the mast-cells with 

 "shell-plate" are to be considered the most complete, 

 richest in mucin, and, so to speak, hypertrophic variety 

 of mast-cells. We are dealing with a far-advanced 

 mucin metamorphosis of connective tissue cells, which 

 thus far has only been observed in neurofibromata. 



After these investigations there can be no doubt but 

 that the collagenous substance, which characterizes 

 neurofibromata from other cutaneous fibromata, contains 

 an amount of mucin peculiar to itself. The mast cells 

 develop to a remarkable extent and here and there difi'use 

 red stains, which do not belong to ordinary collagenous 

 tissue, are observed, and which depend upon its mucin 

 constituents. Do these constituents bear any relation to 

 a development from nervous tissue? Is the greater 

 abundance of methylene-red elements a characteristic of 

 ueurofibrous tissue in contradistinction to other varieties 

 of fibrous tissue and of neurofibromata as opposed to 

 other cutaneous fibromata? 



Perhaps a second discovery, made by the aid of the 

 same staining methods, may throw some light upon this 

 as yet unsettled question. In preparing sections of the 

 spinal cord and medulla of man and rabbit I found that 

 a large portion of a transverse section, especially of the 

 white substance (anterior, posterior and lateral columns), 

 was normally thickly studded with small bodies, which 

 manifested a red mucin reaction similar to that of the 

 mast-cells. These are of the most varied form and size, 

 and partly fill in the interstices between the axis cylin- 

 ders and neuroglia of the white substance. They are 

 homogeneous in structure and, with the decolorization 

 mentioned, they take up a complete red stain, merging 

 into blue. The largest red bodies lie within the middle 

 and inner zone of the white substance. Toward the 



