no Animal Morphology. 



discharging daily a small quantity of yellow, and sometimes 

 a chalky-looking matter. 



Air, it was certain, could not be the cause of such a 

 tremendous disturbance in the fractured limb per se, because 

 the opening in the skin had been before the fracture, and 

 twice in the space of three months. 



The bad condition of the system could not be the cause, 

 because it was the same as existed immediately before the 

 fracture. 



Bruising and contusion could not be the cause, since the 

 limbs had had no bruise, or blow, or injury from without 

 whatever. 



The solution to the difficulty was one that had long pre- 

 sented itself, not only with regard to bone, but other 

 structures. Could nerves account for it ? This had long 

 been doubted, but here no doubt was left. The sympathy 

 was of a morbid nutritive character, and prevented assimila- 

 tion through the entire connective tissue, which appeared to 

 run parallel with two distinct tissues bone and integument. 



The inference drawn was that there was a closer identity 

 of origin in two such opposite structures than was usually 

 held ; and, carefully weighing the morphological doctrines 

 of Goethe, the conclusion drawn was that bone, in its very 

 highly-organized condition, was very distinct from a mere 

 hard mechanical substance, and the constant supply of 

 blood and cell changes known to occur in bone indicated in 

 the midst of pure mechanical agency active vital changes, 

 coupled with peculiar cell secretive power, that entirely ex- 

 cluded bone from being viewed as a simple mechanical struc- 

 ture; and that probably bone acted, as by deputy, through the 

 blood, in using lime as an antiseptic, as well as by its agency 

 aiding the process of disintegration in other structures. 



Again, examining skin and bone with muscle and serous 

 membrane, a general conclusion was arrived at namely, 



