THE MICROSCOPE IX PATHOLOGY. 249 



been these views in pathology, that we quote from him 

 the following abstract concerning the changes in the cell 

 in disease: 



" Of the different constituents of the fully formed cell, 

 the germinal matter is alone concerned in all active 

 change. This is, in fact, the only portion of the cell 

 which lives, while at an early period of development the 

 parts of the cell usually regarded as necessary to cell ex- 

 istence are altogether absent. The 4 cell ' at this period 

 is but a mass of living germinal matter, and in certain 

 parts of the body, at all periods of life, are masses of 

 germinal matter, destitute of any cell-wall, and exactly 

 resembling those of which at an early period the embryo 

 is entirely composed. White, blood, and lymph corpus- 

 cles, chyle corpuscles, many of the corpuscles in the spleen, 

 thymus, and thyroid, corpuscles in the solitary glands, in 

 the villi, some of those upon the surface of mucous mem- 

 branes, and minute corpuscles in many other localities, 

 consist of living germinal matter. There is no structure 

 through which these soft living particles may not make 

 their way. The destruction of tissue may be very quickly 

 effected by them, and there is no operation peculiar to 

 living beings in which germinal or living matter does no*t 

 take part. Any sketch of the structure of the cell would 

 be incomplete without an account of some of the essential 

 alterations which take place in disease, and it is therefore 

 proposed to refer very briefly to the general nature of 

 some of the most important morbid changes. 



"If the conditions under which cells ordinarily live be 

 modified beyond a certain limit, a morbid change may re- 

 sult. For instance, if cells, which in their normal state 

 grow slowly, be supplied with an excess of nutrient pabu- 

 lum, and increase in number very quickly, a morbid state 

 is produced. Or if, on the other hand, the rate at which 

 multiplication takes place be reduced in consequence of 

 an insufficient supply of nourishment, or from other causes, 



