116 PLACENTA. 



The fibro-cellular framework of the kidney as 

 described by Goodsir, or, as it is now termed, the " con- 

 nective tissue," though denied by some observers, has 

 been subsequently confirmed, and is now generally 

 admitted. Goodsir abandoned the views he originally 

 published as to the shedding of the epithelium from 

 the surfaces of the intestinal villi during absorption. 



The observations of Owen, Sharpey, Weber, Eeid, 

 and Dalrymple, had greatly extended our knowledge 

 of the structure of the placenta and formation of the 

 decidua, more especially as regards the enlargement 

 of the follicles of the uterine mucous membrane, and 

 the arrangement of the blood-vessels. Goodsir pur- 

 sued these inquiries, described several modifications in 

 the vascular arrangements, pointed out the relation of 

 the capillary tufts of the placental villi to certain cells 

 which he described, and recorded the changes which 

 take place during gestation in the interfollicular portion 

 of the uterine mucous membrane. With these ar- 

 rangements Goodsir associated theoretical opinions in 

 conformity with his ideas of cell function, and consi- 

 dered that the placenta performs; as is always admitted, 

 not only the function of a lung, but also that of an 

 intestinal tube. 



He investigated the process of ulceration in arti- 

 cular cartilage, and pointed out that lesions of that 

 tissue resulted from changes in the shape and size of 

 the cartilage corpuscles with multiplication of their 

 nucleated contents. He showed that the destruction 

 of the cartilage might take place not only at its free 



