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



a cylinder is formed. In the parietes of this cylinder I have noticed pellucid objects, 

 possibly denoting the continued existence of the orifices above mentioned, as present 

 in the nuclei. If such has been the case, it would appear that there exist communi- 

 cations between the interior and the exterior of the cylinder (pars. 130, 152, 162.). 

 At all events we cannot doubt but that here, as in muscle (par. 161.), the nucleus of 

 the original cell is the source from whence the contents of the cylinder immediately 

 proceed : and that here, therefore, as elsewhere, we have special centres for the 

 origin of new substance. 



179. The main question, however, continues, — are the cells we have been consider- 

 ing, derived from corpuscles having the same appearance as corpuscles of the blood ? 

 At the surface of the lens, we saw an abundance of young corpuscles forming for 

 some special purpose, and corpuscles, having a similar appearance, exhibiting very 

 remarkable internal changes. Other changes are represented in fig. 155 ; the objects 

 in which figure, found at the edge of the lens, had the same appearance as altered 

 corpuscles of the blood. The two in outline (a) exhibited the characteristic red, as 

 well as the general appearance of blood-corpuscles, in an unaltered state ; excepting 

 only, that in their irregular contour, there were some indications of a future division 

 into discs, y was a flattish corpuscle, composed of discs, and still blood-red. The 

 objects ^, ^ resembled y, but were larger. The nuclei of the cells g, g, ^, tj, were quite 

 red enough to show their origin to have been in corpuscles having the same appear- 

 ance as corpuscles of the blood. All the objects in this figure thus presented red 

 colouring matter, — which in a, /3, y, h pervaded the entire object, but in g, Z,, n was 

 confined to the nucleus of the cell. The more or less incipient cells of fig. 156, were 

 obviously altered corpuscles having the same appearance as corpuscles of the blood. 

 And the remark just made, respecting colour, applies to the nuclei observed in the 

 other cells above referred to as the elements of the crystalline (fig. 154.), as well as 

 to the nuclei of those cells which we have seen arranging themselves to form its 

 fibres (figs. 157, 158, 159.). 



180. These are the principal observations, which have induced me to believe the 

 crystalline lens to be derived from corpuscles of the blood. And, upon the whole, 

 r should find it difficult to point out a line, separating the one from what are allowed 

 to be the elements of the other. 



181. It may be added, that among the figures there will be found three outline 

 sketches (figs. 138, 139, 140.), representing appearances incidentally observed, in the 

 course of my examinations of the Tadpole. The first of these, in a Tadpole of 5'", 

 seemed the foundation of the crystalline, as it lay, surrounded by black pigment, and 

 imbedded in the vitreous humour. It had the appearance of an altered and prodi- 

 giously enlarged corpuscle of the blood ; being throughout red, except at the anterior 

 part, a (where it was colourless and pellucid), and being filled with discs, resembling 

 those arising in the interior of corpuscles of the blood. At the part marked ^, these 

 discs were largest, and of the deepest red. This appearance, together with those 



