THE NUMBER OF GRANULES 289 



At first only two cells were taken from each person, 

 but since it was found that there was frequently a wide 

 variation in the number of granules contained in in- 

 dividual cells, this number was afterwards increased to 

 five. Averages were then struck, and the tables given 

 in Appendix I. give the number of leucocytes ex- 

 amined and the persons from whom they were derived, 

 together with the number of granules contained in the 

 largest and smallest cells from each person. From 

 these averages it will be seen that the sex makes 

 practically no difference in the average number of 

 granules contained in the cells; but more experiments 

 will be needed before the same can be said about age. 

 The averages can, in the first place, be divided into 

 two groups, male and female. Each of these groups 

 can be subdivided into two, viz. control persons 

 (healthy and diseases other than cancer), and cancer 

 persons. Neglecting fractions, the average number of 

 granules in the cells appear thus : 



Number of Average number of granules in cells of 



persons males females 



47 controls ...... 168 ... 168 



22 cancer 159 ... 161 



Thus, between normal 1 males and females there is no 

 difference, and between carcinoma males and females 

 there is very little difference; but the number of 

 granules in cancer-cells is well below the normal in 

 the averages of both males and females, and it would 

 appear from this that the number of granules con- 

 tained in the cells of cancer patients is actually reduced. 



1 Control cases (normal, and diseases other than cancer). 



19 



