DESCKIITION OF Mi EKKCTILE TUMOLR. 505 



creased in size from tlic central venous cavities to tlie surface 

 of the skin, and to the deep limits of the disease, these limits 

 l)eing defined by the internal memljranc of the venous system, 

 which was continuous throuyli all the areola;. 



The diseased mass had not displaced the sun-ounding tex- 

 tures, but had caused them to disappear before it, as in certain 

 malignant growths and ulcemtions — bone, ligament, muscle, 

 and fat liaving equally failed in resisting its progress, the skin 

 alone standing out against its advance, and along with the 

 venous membrane forming the limit of its superficial position. 



The areola? of which the mass consisted were elongated 

 from the central cavities towards the limits of the disease, 

 being more elongated the nearer they were to the centres. 

 The peculiar form of the areola? was due to the radiated direc- 

 tion of the bars and imperfect laminnc which separated them, 

 these being thicker, stronger, more elongated, and more sepa- 

 rated from one another around the central cavities than near 

 the circumference, where they were shorter, firmer, and mucli 

 more numerous. 



The bars and imperfect lamina? consisted of fibrous tex- 

 tures exactly resembling that of the tendinous ligaments, and 

 aponeuroses with numerous germinal centres. 



The bars and lamina? were all covered, and consequently 

 they contained areola?, lined by a fine membrane, consisting of 

 tesselated epithelium, and continuous with the lining mem- 

 brane of the venous system, at the central cavities or diseased 

 terminations of the saphena^ and plantar veins. 



In many of the bars and lamina? small aiieries were 

 situated, and one of these was traced nearly to the tcnnination 

 of the anterior tibial on tlie back of the foot. It was not 

 ascertaine<l how the arteries tenninated, but it was presumed 

 that they passed by small obli([ue orifices into the venous 

 areola?, as the curling arteries of the human ]»laronta pa.«!s into 

 the venous areol;!' of the dccidua. 



