DR. MARTIN BARRY ON THE CORPUSCLES OF THE BLOOD. 239 



contents of " cells'* in general, an attentive examination of these pale cells of the 

 crystalline has also strengthened a view mentioned in my last memoir-f-, — that, 

 however minute the " cell," and wherever it exists, it is by the coalescence of discs 

 that its membrane is formed. Thus in fig. 156. a, |3, the outer discs are seen entering 

 into the formation of the membrane of the cell ; the remainder being now the nucleus 

 of the cell. At /3, fig. 154, the cell-membrane is formed. We thus seem to have 

 even here a mode of origin of the membrane of the cell, essentially the same as that 

 which, in a former paper, I showed to form the chorion J, — as will be hereafter 

 pointed out in the membrane of the ovisac, — and as seems to be the mode of produc- 

 tion of other, and perhaps all, membranes, as well as fibrous tissues. 



174. Other facts observable in an examination of the pale cells of the lens, are 

 equally confirmatory of my views regarding " cells" in general. The nucleus is very 

 distinctly seen to be composed of discs (figs. 154, 155, 156.), into which it divides; 

 and at a certain part, there is sometimes seen a highly refracting object, correspond- 

 ing apparently to the nucleolus of authors, but, as I believe, being really an orifice 

 communicating with the exterior of the cell. 



175. I have already mentioned my inability to confirm the idea of Professor 

 Schwann, who supposed it to be by elongation, that these pale cells form the fibres 

 of the lens. It is true he makes the addition, " I have several times observed the 

 arrangement, one upon another, of the nuclei of cells ; but do not know what it 

 indicates. It is also very possible that the coalescence of cells may take place to form 

 a fibre ; but hitherto I have no decisive observations §.*' It affords me satisfaction to 

 find that, while bringing forward facts opposed to the views of this excellent ob- 

 server, I am not without an admission — very important as coming from him — of the 

 possibility that the fibres may arise by another mode. 



176 It remains to add, that the appearance now and then, in very large numbers, 

 and in parallel lines, of objects such as those in figs. 157, 158, 159, has led me to 

 believe that the fibre of the lens is formed by the coalescence of the cells in question, 

 previously/ arranged in a line, 



177' These fibres in many instances originally present the nucleus in their cells 

 (see the figures). Sometimes the so-called nucleolus — really an orifice — is also pre- 

 sent (figs. 157, 158. a), communicating with the exterior of the cell. In another in- 

 stance (fig. 157.^), I saw the cell filled with discs, there being no nucleus in this cell. 



178. The fibres are originally of a necklace form ; their bead-like segments being 

 often of unequal magnitude (see the figures). When this is the case, deficiency in 

 size is sometimes compensated by the number of the cells (fig. 158. |3). It is probable 

 that in other instances an equal diameter throughout the fibre, is obtained by elon- 

 gation of the larger cell. Sometimes the cells are very large (fig. 159.). The bead- 

 like segments coalesce ; the intervening membranous partitions disappear; and thus 



t On the Corpuscles of the Blood, Part II. /. c, par. 79. 



X Researches in Embryology : ITiird Series, /. c. § L. c, p. 102. 



