THE LUNG PLAGUE. 59 



Tliey are formed of a liomogeneoiis, whitisli matter, more or less hard, showing uuder 

 the microscope granuhius kernels and au innumerable quantity of small elementary 

 corpuscles, which enjoy a molecular motion, and which are also met with in diseased 

 lungs. I have examined uuder the microscope parts of the lungs of animals diseased 

 with pneimiouia, with a power magnifying foiu- hundred and fifty diameters, which is 

 higher than that employed by Professor Gluge in his beautiful anatomico-pathological 

 researches upon pleuro-pneumonia. The exudated matter j)reseuted no structure. I 

 met with no other anatomical elements than granular cells and elementary corpuscles, 

 provided with a iiarticnlar motion, the whole iiretty much resembling au inflammatory 

 exudation, remarkable for its great quantity. The lilastic exudation is formed in so 

 rapid a manner, and in such considerable quantity, that anatomical elements of a 

 superior development to that of these cells could not be produced in them ; conse- 

 quently no cells or globules of pus (I have never found any) or filters are ever met with 

 there. The energy of the cellular tissue appears to exhaust itself upon too large a 

 quantity of exudated matter for the latter to be carried to a higher degree of organiza- 

 tion. It is the same as is observed sometimes in the regeneration of tissues ; in the 

 section of nerves, for example, and in the fractiu-e of bones, when the exuded liquid 

 is in too large a quantity, or the fragments are too much sejiarated, a part of the 

 liquid being beyond the circle of action of the energy of existing tissues, always 

 remains at an inferior degree of development to that of the neighl)oring tissues. What 

 is most important to be shown here, and of which no one has hitherto spoken, is the 

 existence in diseased lungs of small corpuscles, endowed with a molecular motion, 

 which appears sometimes to he made in a given direction. They are like corpuscles in 

 process of formation, the motion of Avhich resembles that of the granules of pigment, 

 as well as those which surround the corpuscles of the tuberculoiis matter in man. In 

 all my microscopical researches I have constantly found the same. 



Wishing to know whether these corpuscles exist in any other substances than those 

 already examined, I submitted to the microscope — 



1. .The saliva of a healthy ox under epizootic influence. 



2. The saliva of a diseased cow towards the third stage of the disease. 



3. The urine of the same cow. 



4. The blood of the same cow. 



5. The blood of a healthy ox under epizootic influence for five months. 



6. The blood of a healthy ox not under epizootic influence. 



7. Parts of the liver and of the large right pectoral muscle from a diseased cow. 



In none of these matters did I find the small corpuscles with molecular motion, which I 

 have constantly met with in the lungs and in the intestinal tubercles of animals aflected 

 with pletu'( )-pueumonia. That, then , is the principal seat of the disease. Are these cor- 

 I)uscles primitive or consequent on the disease ? This question cannot be decided now ; 

 I only Avish herd to verify their presence in pleuro-pneximonia. 



I examined with the microscope parts of the skin of an ox that died of inoculation. 

 I there found the same microscopical elements and the same chemical characters, as in 

 the lungs diseased with pneumonia. 



Professor Gluge, one of tlie members of the Belgiau commission 

 appointed to inquire into the efficacy of inoculation, reported, on the 

 10th of July, 1852, as follows : 



It results, from the demonstrations made by Dr. Willems and our own researches — 



1. That e])izo(jtic ph>uro-pneumonia has no characteristic anatomical products apprc- 

 cial)le by the microsc^ope. 



2. That the inflammatory product is not distinguished from any other product of 

 inlbunmatioii l>y amitomical character. 



A. That M. Willems's assertions are ru)t accurate. 



4. That this circumstance, doubtless unfortunate, does not in any way prejudice the 

 practical question, which it appears to me ought to be especially examined. 



