348 HISTOLOGY OF THE MORBID PROCESSES. 



with a fluid resembling serum. In the fluid occasional fibres of 

 still more delicate structure may be seen, together with lymphoid 

 cells, either isolated or in little groups like imperfectly formed 

 lymph-follicles. The surface of the growth is formed by a layer 

 of rather denser fibrous tissue, which is covered by a continuation 

 of the epithelium belonging to the mucous membrane. Similar soft 

 fibromata sometimes take origin from the subcutaneous tissues, but 

 fibromata of the skin are usually of denser structure, the bands 

 of fibrous tissue being coarser, more compact, and less loosely 

 arranged. CEdema may make these tumors look very much like 

 the first variety. 



Harder varieties of fibroma take origin from such dense forms 

 of fibrous tissue as compose the dura mater, the fasciae, periosteum, 



FIG. 309. 



Dense form of fibroma. (Ribbert.) Section from a fibroma of the dura mater. The inter- 

 cellular substance is very compact and the cells compressed. The latter are most 

 numerous in the neighborhood of the narrow vessel, a, which, together with a branch, 

 is cut longitudinally. 



FIG. 310. 



Jf- ^WJk V ^ 





Dense form of fibroma. (Ribbert.) Section from older portion of a keloid. Dense masses 

 of compact, apparently homogeneous intercellular substance interlace to form the chief 

 bulk of the tissue. The cells are so few in number and so compressed that they are 

 hardly distinguishable, and have been omitted from the figure. 



etc., and those fibromata that occur in the uterus are of similar 

 character. They are usually composed of nodular masses of dense 



