INFLAMMA TION. 



411 



ited the following characteristic features. (See Fig. 172.) A layer of fibrous 

 connective tissue forms the boundary of the abscess, its innermost portion 

 presenting a somewhat jagged appearance, due to a number of attached pus- 

 corpuscles. The bundles of connective tissue in this situation were partly 

 infiltrated with, partly transformed into, pus-corpuscles, and were arranged 

 in the shape of rows, between which a scanty basis-substance was traceable. 

 In their general direction, these rows corresponded to that of the bundles in 

 the subjacent tissue stratum, which was built up by dense bundles of fibrous 

 connective tissue in a more or less parallel course, and with but few decus- 

 sations inclosing narrow, oblong 

 spaces. These connective-tissue 

 fibers held a large number of small 

 spindle-shaped and a somewhat 

 larger number of globular bioplas- 

 son bodies, the former representing 

 what has been termed connective- 

 tissue corpuscles, the latter in- 

 flammatory elements. The meshes 

 between the bundles contained 

 granular layers of bioplasson, 

 with a number of inflammatory 

 elements, and also a moderate 

 amount of capillary blood-vessels. 

 In this layer, all stages of newly 

 developing connective tissue could 

 be observed ; clusters of medullary 

 or inflammatory elements ; clus- 

 ters in which these elements had 

 already assumed an oblong or 

 spindle shape ; delicate spindles, 

 closely packed together and trans- 

 formed into basis-substance, with 

 a relatively small number of bio- 

 plasson bodies left. 



Beneath the above described 

 layer of fibrous connective tissue, 

 the so-called membrana pyogena 

 of the older writers, there followed 

 a broad layer of connective tissue, exhibiting all the characteristics of the 

 variety termed myxomatous. The connective-tissue bundles, while dense in 

 the innermost layer, had become loose in the myxomatous portion, changing 

 to a more or less vertical course, and inclosing large meshes of a homogeneous 

 basis-substance. The coarser bundles formed strings, which by inosculating 

 with each other produced a reticulum, built up almost exclusively by spindle- 

 shaped elements, partly transformed into basis-substance. 



Within the meshes of this reticulum is contained a very delicate fibrous 

 connective tissue, with numerous, mainly spindle-shaped, bioplasson bodies ; 

 large fields of the meshes hold an almost homogeneous or very slightly gran- 

 ular basis-substance. (See Fig. 173.) A number of capillary blood-vessels 

 of a considerable size, and partly filled with red blood-corpuscles, were also 

 met with. The endothelia of these capillaries were very large, and found 



FIG. 173. WALL OF AN ABSCESS OF THE 

 BRAIN. TRANSVERSE SECTION. 



F, layer of fibrous connective tissue ; V, nests 

 of medullary elements, apparently produced by 

 the proliferation of the endothelia of former blood- 

 vessels ; M, myxomatous portion, in the meshes 

 of which numerous medullary elements are im- 

 bedded, either in a delicate fibrous reticulum, or 

 in a light, homogeneous basis-substance. Magni- 

 fied 500 diameters. 



