dLYVOUKS l\ rATII()L()(;l('AL PltOCKHtiES 433 



perhaps contained in blood-platelets) in all blood, wliether normal 

 or patliolo<^ieal. '■'■ nirscliber<? ^^ states that normal animals of all 

 species have leucocytes jiivin*^ an iodin reaction for glycogen if pi-oper 

 techuic is used, but which is not obtained by the ordinary iodin-gum 

 solution method unless the glycogen is rendered abnormally insolu- 

 ble by toxic injury; this is an explanation for the relationship of 

 i()d()j)liilia and infections. Accordino' to Wolff- Eisner the leucocytes 

 in myeloid leukemia contain no glycogen granules. It does not seem 

 to be settled whether the glycogen is taken on by the leucocytes at 

 the place of pathological lesion, or in the bone-marrow under the in- 

 fluence of circulating poisons, or both. TTabershon states that from 

 1 to 16 per cent, of all leucocytes normally contain glycogen granules, 

 and AVolff believes that the glycogen seen in leucocytes represents 

 normal glycogen made insoluble through injury. 



Locke gives the occurrence of this abnormal iodin staining of the 

 leucocytes (termed iodophilia) as follow'S: "Septic conditions of all 

 kinds, including septicemia, abscesses, and local sepsis (except in the 

 earliest stages), appendicitis accompanied by abscess formation or per- 

 itonitis, general peritonitis, empyema, pneumonia, pyonephrosis, sal- 

 pingitis with severe inflammation or abscess formation, tonsillitis, 

 gonorrheal arthritis, and hernia or acute intestinal obstruction where 

 the bowel has become gangrenous, have invariably given a positive 

 iodophilia, and by its absence all these cases can be ruled out in diag- 

 nosis. In other words, no septic condition of any severity can be 

 present without a positive reaction. Furthermore, the disappearance 

 of the glycogen granules in the leucocytes in from twenty-four to 

 forty-eight hours following crisis with frank resolution in pneumonia, 

 and the thorough drainage of pus in septic cases, is of considerable 

 importance." Clinical experience, however, seems not to have ac- 

 corded any constant significance to iodophilia.''^ 



In exudates glycogen is found in the leucocytes as long as they 

 retain their vitality, but disappears soon after retrogressive changes 

 begin ; hence it is not usually present in sterile pus. Loeper *° made 

 quantitative estimates of the glycogen in exudates, finding from 

 0.59-0.62 gram per liter in cellular pneumococcus pleural effusi6n, 

 0.25 gm. in cellular tuberculous effusion, but only traces in serous 

 tuberculous efiPusion and in an old tuberculous pyothorax. A pneu- 

 monic lung contained 0.85 gm. of glycogen per kilo, and traces were 

 found in pneumonic sputum and in the contents of tuberculous cavi- 

 ties. It is very abundant in tuberculous sputum, as much as 2 to 3 per 



43 Literature — Locke and Cabot, Jour. Med. Researeh, 1002 (7), 25: Locke, 

 Boston Med. and Surg. Jour., 1002 (147). 289: Reich. Beitr. klin. Chir., 1!)04 (42), 

 277; Kiittner, Arch. klin. Chir.. 1004 (73), 438; CuHand, Brit. :\red. Jour.. 1004 

 (i), 880; Ilahershon, Jour. Path, and Bact., lOOG (11), 05; Woin", Zeit. klin. 

 Med., 1004 (51), 407. 



44Virchow's Arch., 1008 (194), 307. 



45 See Bernicot. Jour. Path, and Bact., 1006 (11), 304. 



46 Arch. Med. Exp., 1902 (14), 576. 



28 



