694 



THE LIVER. 



separated from each oilier by cement-substance, which is traversed by the spokes 

 connecting the epithelia. The bile-capillaries are excavations in the cement-sub- 

 stance. 



In interstitial hepatitis the living matter of the liver epithelia is augmented 

 and the cement-substance is in part liquefied. From coalesced groups of liver 

 epithelia midtinuclear bodies arise, which, through the formation of new cement- 

 substance, break up into a number of indifferent elements. These give rise to an 

 abundant new formation of connective tissue. 



In the process of 'liquefaction of the original cement-substance numbers of bile- 

 capillaries are destroyed. The blood-vessels, through an increase of the living 

 matter in their walls, are transformed into solid cords, which afterward divide 

 into indifferent corpuscles, and at length give rise to fibrous connective tissue. 



In miliary tuberculosis of the liver the inflammatory new for- 

 mation invariably starts in the interstitial connective tissue. The 

 smallest nodules discernible by the aid of the microscope are 

 found to consist only of globular clusters of inflammatory cor- 

 puscles, in which no former constituent structures (veins, arteries, 

 and ducts), are recognizable, and for this reason it is impossible 

 to determine from which structure the tuberculous formation 

 originated. Large tubercles are formed at the expense of the 

 epithelia of the lobules, which are in this case broken down into 

 inflammatory corpuscles in exactly the same manner as in inter- 

 stitial hepatitis. The most characteristic feature of this condition 

 is the complete destruction of the original blood-vessels and the 

 absence of a vascular new formation. The inflammatory cor- 

 puscles are distinguished by their small size and the presence of 

 an indistinct myxoinatous reticulum similar to that found in 

 lymph-tissue. 



Syphilitic gumma originates as an inflammatory process in the 

 interstitial connective tissue, with subsequent destruction of the 

 liver epithelia, through their transformation into medullary 

 corpuscles. All these corpuscles remain interconnected, repre- 

 senting a tissue ; they give rise to a new formation of basis- 

 substance, which is only exceptionally advanced to the stage of 

 fibrous connective tissue, but usually remains homogeneous, and, 

 as a rule, exhibits waxy metamorphosis. The basis-substance con- 

 tains a few small plastids, generally without nuclei ; and larger 

 irregular plastids singly or in clusters, which, from their brown 

 color, may be regarded as being liver epithelia, but slightly 

 changed. In some places these plastids are abundantly supplied 

 with dark brown pigment-granules, and clusters of such granules 

 may be found scattered throughout the basis-substance. The 

 central portions of the gumma are often disintegrated and trans- 



