204 DR. MARTIN BARRY ON THE CORPUSCLES OF THE BLOOD. 



condition of the ovum, I bad not been able to discern a continuation of the mem- 

 brane of the germinal vesicle over the central portion of the spot. So likewise the 

 corpuscle of the blood in certain states exhibits an orifice, by means of which there is 

 a communication between the exterior of the corpuscle and the cavity in its nucleus. 



59. The free portion of the germinal spot resolves itself into discoid objects — the 

 foundations of cells ; with which the germinal vesicle becomes filled. In like manner, 

 the blood-corpuscle is seen filled with corpuscles of minuter size ; presenting an ap- 

 pearance which I can attribute to no other than the same process. This is shown in 

 the blood-corpuscle of the Fish at y, fig. 52, at a and |3, fig. 53, and at g and ^, fig. 54 

 — in that of the Reptile, s, figs. 49 and 50 — in that of the Bird, fig. 36 3, fig. 41 j8, 

 fig. 43 (3, y, fig. 45, and fig. 47- 



60. The foundation of the new being in the mammiferous ovum, arising in the 

 centre of the altered germinal spot — which centre, from this and other facts, I deno- 

 minated the point of fecundation — we saw to consist of two discs ; each of these discs 

 giving origin to a cell. So also, in more than half the numerous figures accompany- 

 ing this memoir, we find the same appearances in blood-corpuscles, including those 

 of Man. (In certain states, the nucleus of the blood-corpuscle is composed of three 

 or more discs, instead of two. Figs. 33, 34 y, 41 p, 43 h, 45 0, /, 52 y, 1, 53 a, 54 ^. Com - 

 pare with the nucleus of a yelk-globule from an immature ovum of the Tiger in, ray 

 Second Series on the Embryo-}-), 



61. The two cells in question, in the ovum, at a certain period are set free; each 

 being destined to give origin to others. Such also is the case with the corpuscles of 

 the blood. See figs. 29, 30, 39, 41 y. 



62. The foregoing analogies are not confined to vertebrated animals ; for I have 

 met with some of them, at least, in three classes of the Invertebrata. See figs. 57, 

 61 and 62. 



63. Such facts as these appear to warrant the conclusion, that the corpuscles of 

 the blood are generated by a process essentially the same as that described in one of 

 my former memoirs, as giving origin to those cells which are the immediate suc- 

 cessors of the germinal vesicle, or original parent cell. 



64. If the blood-corpuscles of Man in fig. 23 be minutely examined in the order in 

 which they are alphabetically lettered, and in connection with the description sepa- 

 rately given (par. 87), — and if they be then compared with a succession of appear- 

 ances delineated in my former paper on the Corpuscles of the Blood;}:, — I think it will 

 be obvious that those appearances arose from the blood-corpuscle resolving itself into 

 minuter objects, by a continuation of the same process as that through which, as we 

 have just seen, it is itself produced. 



65. Eighty years have elapsed since the ingenious Father Di Torre, after present- 

 ing to the Royal Society some rude but powerful lenses of his own preparing, afforded 



t Philosophical Transactions Part II. 1839, Plate V. fig. 87. J L. c, p. 595. Plate XXTX. fig. 2. 



