270 ON THE PATHOLOGICAL MORPHOLOGY OF SOME ANIMAL FLUIDS. 



A contusion, like any other mischievous power sufficient to destroy 

 the texture of the different soft organic parts; for instance, if it shall 

 have destroyed the sub-cutaneous cellular tissue, will produce abscess ; 

 because the cellular tissue is destroyed, that is, its continuity has suf- 

 fered to its smallest particles, so that it shall have been changed 

 into a pultaceous mass ; it then continues shut up by the pathological 

 surface, which being brought together, for example, by proper compres- 

 sion, no pus and no abscess is formed, but the adhesive inflammation 

 arises. But the recently destroyed cellular tissue, like every other 

 organic substance, is delivered up to the circulation by absorption. 

 When, however, on account of the situation of the pathological surface, 

 or its rigid and firm texture, the bringing together of it is impossible, 

 for example, in inflammation of the lungs, or the medulla of the bones, 

 then suppuration only takes place, 



How is it explained, that the same situation of the same pathological pro- 

 cess, produces at first Suppurative Inflammation, afterwards Adhesive 

 Inflammation, according as a pathological surface shall have been pre- 

 sent or absent ? 



As we understand the material pathological changes of inflammation, 

 it behoves us to make plain the special cause or end of inflammation. 

 The continuity of the skin and healthy cellular tissue being destroyed 

 by a scalpel, the hidden openings of the intermediate and capillary vessels, 

 and of the smaller vessels, pour out blood, until the capacities or dia- 

 meters of the divided vessels become obliterated, partly by of the con- 

 tinuous energetic tone, and partly on account of the coagulation of 

 blood stagnating next the orifices, by which a compress (trombus) in 

 some larger vessel, and a stagnation of the blood- particles in the open- 

 ings of capillary and intermediate vessels arise. The dropping of blood 

 being stopped, a yellowish reddish-white, then yellowish- white, and at 

 length a white pellucid fluid flows in small quantity from the wound, 

 which is composed of a few blood-globules, and the larger globules of 

 pus suspended in the liquor sanguinis. The opening being obliterated, 

 the wave of blood is driven, without interruption, against the compress 

 (trombum), the parietes of the smallest vessels are not long able to re- 

 sist this action ; hence the diameters of the intermediate vessels imme- 

 diately adjacent to the obliteration are dilated, their parietes rendered 

 thinner, and by reason of the diminished tone, the blood is ultimately 

 moved with difficulty ; the circulation in the dilated vessels is retarded 



