234 



MANUAL OF HISTOLOGY. 



Fig. 224. Pus corpuscles in the 

 interstices of tendinous tissue; 

 from the tendo Achillis of the 

 rabbit. 



which usually appears so quiescent and indifferent in the adult body, 

 displays during pathological processes a new and mighty vigour of 



growth. 



Simple inflammatory irritation alone gives rise to a rapid swellmg-up 

 of the cells contained in the interstices of the tissue. In the dull proto- 

 plasm of these we may remark division of the nuclei also, in non-vascu- 

 lar parts like the cornea, as well as in vascular structures (Strieker and 



NorrisY 



We have already seen (p. 129) that pus corpuscles (lymphoid cells) 

 may frequently accumulate in the passages and 

 interstices of connective-tissue (fig. 224) in 

 great quantities, owing to such irritation, arriv- 

 ing there partly from the circulation. But others 

 originate in the tissue itself; and it has been 

 by some maintained now for many years, with 

 the utmost certainty, that the parents of these 

 are the connective-tissue corpuscles. 



But the mode of this origin requires nearer 

 investigation than it has as yet received. It is 

 possible that the membraneless connective- 

 tissue cell may divide into these lymphoid ele- 

 ments by simple or double nuclear segmenta- 

 tion. 



Owing to its wide distribution throughout the 

 body, connective- tissue plays the most important 

 part in pathological neoplastic processes. Loss of substance in the organs 

 of the middle germinal plate is replaced by it (cicatricial tissue) just as it 

 may take the place physiologically of degenerated organs. Luxuriant 

 growth of this structure causes an increase in quantity of the sustenta- 

 cular substance of glands and other parts, as well as thickening of mem- 

 branes, and so on. Numerous new formations, in the form of tumours, 

 from the simple wart up to the supporting tissue of the most dangerous 

 cancerous growths, consist of it. Tumours consisting of pure connective- 

 tissue, with a more or less dense texture, have been given the name 

 of fibromas. The starting-point of these is in most cases ordinary or 

 physiological connective-tissue, with an undoubted participation of 

 lymphoid cells. 



The appearance of such a pathological connective-tissue is very vari- 

 able. Beside the most fully developed texture, such as only formed con- 

 nective-tissue can show, we meet with structures of a softer species allied 

 to the so-called formless kind. We encounter also appearances such as 

 are presented by the young embryonic tissue. Thus, wherever a rapid 

 development of the tissue is taking place, soft fusiform and stellate cells 

 in close juxtaposition are observed, or there may be merely round and 

 very primitive elements with scanty intermediate matter to be seen. It 

 appears, also, that nucleated formative cells without a membrane may 

 coalesce owing to their abundant protoplasma, forming more or less homo- 

 geneous multi-nuclear masses. This must have been the origin of the 

 many alleged exudations with spontaneous generation of nuclei spoken 

 of in former days. We leave the rest to the hand-books of pathology, 

 and pass on in the next section to the origin of the tissue. 



