360 



INFLAMMA TION. 



in an amount greatly exceeding the original number of plastids. At last, 

 after the inflammation had subsided, a new infiltration with basis-substance 

 ensued, and consequently a new formation of connective tissue took place 

 unless the inflamed tissue, from the condition of free bioplasson, immediately 

 fell back into the basis-substance-forming stage. Similar features are 

 observed in inflammation of the tendinous and peritendinous tissue of the 

 horse, termed by veterinary surgeons " softening of tendons." (See Fig. 151.) 

 The original dense fibrous connective tissue, containing only a small number 

 of plastids, is gradually transformed into a more homogeneous basis-sub- 

 stance, in which numerous plastids of varying sizes have made their appear- 

 ance. That these newly appearing plastids have not originated from former 

 plastids of the connective tissue, but arose independently after liquefaction 

 of the basis-substance at certain points, which at first were nearly regularly 



FIG. 151. PERITENDINITIS IN A HORSE. 



B, fibrous basis-substance with a few plastids ; M, the basis-substance more homogeneous, 

 with numerous, newly appeared, nucleated plastids; J, the basis-substance transformed into 

 rows of nucleated plastids, or multinuclear bioplassou masses ; A, artery, cut transversely, 

 containing a few blood-corpuscles. Magnified 800 diameters. 



distributed throughout the basis-substance, is plainly demonstrated by all 

 specimens of this kind. The whole basis-substance returns to its bioplasson 

 condition i. e., is transformed into rows of plastids or into multinuclear 

 bioplasson masses, before any new formation proper has taken place. It 

 may be easily understood how this slowly advancing inflammation, not going 

 beyond the stage of liquefaction of the basis-substance and the return to the 

 bioplasson condition, might lead to a gradual " softening" of the tendon 

 tissue. 



