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



these vessels is seen in fig. 142. It was a branch, proceeding from a trunk more 

 than three times its diameter. 



170. In delicate, flat, and branchless tubes, from the edge of the lens — where red 

 tubes have presented to me a parallel direction, from behind forwards — I have found 

 corpuscles, having the same appearance as corpuscles of the blood, arranged with 

 curious regularity; their flat surfaces being in contact with one another (fig. 145.). 

 These corpuscles were blood-red, and red colouring matter was seen between or 

 around them. For other particulars respecting these corpuscles, I refer to the 

 explanation separately given, and to figs. 146, 147, 148; here mentioning only the 

 brightly pellucid object in the situation of the original cavity or depression in the 

 corpuscles. I may return to the subject of the corpuscles in these figures, in a 

 future communication. 



171. In figs. 151, 152, are portions of tubes, also from the edge of the lens. These 

 figures are almost entirely in outline. Tubes are very frequently met with, having 

 their contents (which resemble altered blood-corpuscles) in this state. The pellucid 

 object arising in the centre of the corpuscle, is originally round (fig. 151.). It appears 

 that these pellucid objects enlarge, and then coalesce with one another ; the red 

 colouring matter at the same time disappearing. By this means transparent, colour- 

 less, and very bright spaces are produced ; sometimes so large as to occupy a very 

 considerable, and even the principal, portion of the tube. But here again I must 

 refer to the explanation of the figures ; remarking only, that there was visible in some 

 of the pellucid spaces (in fig. 152.) a minute, highly refracting object (^), apparently 

 an orifice communicating with the exterior of the tube (§ ^). Tubes with contents 

 such as those in fig. 152, vary much in their diameter at different parts. I met with 

 a tube of this kind, which, at one part measured roo'") then decreased to ^^"', and 

 then again enlarged to too'" • ^^^ all this variation in the diameter of the tube, was 

 observed within yu'" of its length. I have frequently noticed corpuscles, having the 

 appearance of altered corpuscles of the blood, some of which had perhaps escaped 

 from such tubes as those last referred to. Some of these corpuscles are seen at B 

 and /, fig. 142, and in fig. 143. 



172. In figs. 153, 154, 155, 156, are pale cells, such as those constituting the 

 foundation of the crystalline. As was observed by Schwann, there is a nucleus in 

 many of these cells ; but, as he likewise saw, there are very many in which no 

 nucleus is found. On very closely examining the cells which had no nucleus, I 

 have thought many of them filled with discs (fig. 153.). These discs (if I was not 

 mistaken in the observation) had no doubt resulted from a division of the nucleus of 

 the cell. But the cells are so very pale, that often nothing can be discerned in their 

 interior. In figs. 156 and 159, a nucleus is seen to have divided into two parts; 

 each of which was a disc, and presented an indication of subdivision into other discs. 



173. Besides confirming, in this way, ray opinion as to the mode of origin of the 



