CONSUMPTION. 139 



meates all parts of the organs,, and thus supports the 

 different glands and specialized cells. It unites the 

 skin to the deeper structures, in the form of loose 

 meshes it forms a bed for the transmission of vessels 

 and nerves, slightly modified it forms the frame work 

 of the brain and spinal cord, it unites the spinal column 

 it forms thick layers between the vertebra. It forms 

 cartilage, it is bright and glistening and forms the 

 white of the eye, after forming framework for all the 

 soft tissues it is itself supported by its attachment to 

 bone. 



It has been stated that inflammation produces an 

 over-growth of this tissue. In the low form of inflam- 

 mation resulting from septic blood, the over-growth al- 

 ways takes place in the connective tissue just men- 

 tioned. As naturally supplied this tissue develops with 

 the growth of the body, but when resulting from inflam- 

 mation it invaribly contracts, and this fact renders it 

 pathological or diseased. The inflammation and con- 

 gestion means too much blood, and as a result of this 

 overfeeding some of the connective tissue cells enlarge, 

 and as the growth continues they divide and subdivide. 

 Beginning in the form of small round cells, next they 

 elongate and are called spindle cells, then fibre cells, 

 and when the limit of their growth is reached they 

 contract and become hard and fibrous. This new tis- 

 sue takes no part in the work carried on by the organ 

 in which it occurs, but crowds out more or less the 

 natural, and the organ is weakened in proportion. As 

 the new tissue continues to contract healthy tissue is 

 caught in its meshes and destroyed. Its unyielding 



