208 



CONNECTIVE TISSUE. 



the retieular structure of cartilage corpuscles, as it is known since 1873. All 

 granules within the nucleus and all granules within the corpuscle are unin- 

 terruptedly connected by delicate threads. The intranuclear net-work is con- 

 nected with the corpuscular retieulum by radiating conical spokes traversing 

 the light rim around the nucleus; and, at the periphery of the corpuscle, 

 similar conical spokes pierce a narrow light rim and enter the basis-sub- 

 stance, in which, especially in the highly refracting zone termed capsule, 

 they are usually lost to sight. Cartilage corpuscles, even, which have become 

 so pale as to leave only a dim trace of their former contour visible, still 

 exhibit more or less distinct traces of the retieular structure. 



The same structure may be seen throughout the so-called hyaline basis- 

 substance more distinct in the middle of the space between the corpuscles 

 than immediately around the corpuscles themselves. The fibrous portion of 



FIG. 80. THYBOID CARTILAGE OF ADULT. SAGITTAL SECTION. 



C, C, cartilage corpuscles; B, indistinctly reticular hyaline basis-substance ; F, fibrous 

 basis-substance. Magnified 1200 diameters. 



the basis-substance has also a reticular structure. The bodies of the slender 

 spindles show a net-work without the application of any re-agent, and the 

 light rims between the spindles are traversed by delicate threads running in 

 a vertical direction to the longitudinal diameter of the spindles. All granules 

 and lumps scattered through the fibrous basis-substance are surrounded by 

 light rims, which are pierced by conical spokes inosculating with the retieu- 

 lum of the neighboring spindles. (See Fig. 80.) 



I have treated sections of the same cartilage, after they had for several 

 days been washed out with distilled water, with a one-half per cent, solution 



