TUMORS. 511 



6. LIPOMA. FATTY TUMOR. 



Lipoma is composed of fat-tissue, exhibiting a lobular struct- 

 ure and traversed by septa of connective tissue, which carries 

 the blood-vessels. In the so-called soft, fatty tumors the con- 

 nective tissue is scanty and the fat of a more oily nature, while 

 in tumors termed fibrous lipoma (formerly called steatoma) the 

 frame attains considerable development and the fat is more solid. 

 The fat-globules resemble those of normal fat-tissue, and like 

 these sometimes contain needle-shaped crystals of "margaric 

 acid. 7 ' (See Fig. 208.) 



Lipoma appears as a tumor sui generis in the subcutaneous, 

 submucous, and subserous tissues, rarely in glandular organs. 



FIG. 208. LIPOMA, FROM THE SHOULDER OF A MAN. 



V, capillary blood-vessel in the frame of connective tissue ; F, fat-globules, pierced by 

 vacuoles, the latter being caused by preservation in chromic acid. Magnified 400 diameters. 



In the subcutaneous tissue it occurs usually on the posterior 

 aspect of the body, and produces single globular, highly elastic 

 tumors, the surface of which appears to be lobulated to the touch, 

 and which, in different localities, have different degrees of con- 

 sistency. The tumor is usually quite movable, and sometimes 

 is very loosely attached to the body, pendent like a bag. The 

 covering integument is either unchanged or it is thickened and 

 pigmented, but may, as a rule, be raised in folds; it becomes 



