HYPERINOSIS, LEUCOCYTOSIS AND LEUKEMIA. 205 



processes. Leukaemia is thus a sort of permanent, pro- 

 gressive leucocytosis, whilst this on the other hand in its 

 simple forms constitutes a transitory process, connected 

 with fluctuating conditions in certain organs. 



You see therefore that there are at least three different 

 conditions here, bordering one upon the other : hyperino- 

 sis, leucocytosis and leukaemia, between which and the 

 lymphatic fluids there exists an intimate connection. 

 The one series, that namely which is distinguished by an 

 increase in the quantity of fibrine, is rather to be referred 

 to the accidental condition of the organs from which the 

 lymphatic fluids are derived, whilst those states which are 

 induced by an increase in the number of cellular ele- 

 ments are rather regulated by the condition of the glands 

 through which these fluids have flowed. These facts can 

 hardly, I think, be interpreted in any other manner than 

 by supposing that the spleen and lymphatic glands are 

 really intimately concerned in the development of the 

 blood. This has become still more probable since we 

 have succeeded in obtaining chemical evidence also in 

 support of it. Herr Scherer upon two occasions ex- 

 amined leukaemic blood which I had submitted to him, 

 in order to compare it with the matters he had discovered 

 in the spleen, and the result was that hypoxanthine, 

 leucine, uric, lactic, and formic, acid, were found there. 

 In one case of leukaemia a liver which I had kept for 

 several days became entirely covered with granules of 

 tyrosine ; in another, leucine and tyrosine crystallized in 

 large masses out of the contents of the intestines. In 

 short, everything points to an increased action in the 

 spleen, which normally contains these substances in con- 

 siderable quantity. 



A good many years elapsed (after 1845) during which 

 I found myself pretty nearly alone in my views. It has 

 only been by degrees and indeed, as I am sorry to be 



