140 MICROBES AND HEALTH. 



fibers untangles all structures. Blood vessels are 

 caught in the contracting fibers and the circulation is 

 lessened or cut off, and the parts supplied by such a 

 vessel atrophies, degeneration follows. 



Every scar is an example of this kind of tissue. The 

 scar looks light or dark in proportion to the number 

 of blood vessels destroyed. A wound that is allowed 

 to gap is filled in with this new connective tissue. A 

 burn gives the best illustration of the contraction of 

 connective tissue resulting from inflammation. As a 

 result of burns many people have seen the hands or 

 face drawn out of all resemblance to a human being. 

 When affecting the liver, the organ is much shrunken 

 and shriveled. It is called rum drinker's liver, and is 

 caused by the prolonged use of alcohol. Alcohol also 

 produces the same changes in the kidneys in some forms 

 of Bright's disease. 



These changes take place more often in the lungs for 

 the reasons given. The enormous amount of blood 

 which is being constantly poured into these organs, if 

 unhealthy, will paralyze the delicate nerve fibers which 

 control the size of the small vessels; the vessels dilate 

 and too much blood is the result. In health the blood 

 passes through the walls of the vessels sufficient to 

 nourish the surrounding tissues, but now the amount 

 is greatly increased, and the tissues are overfed, hence 

 the overgrowth, as described. In the lungs the pres- 

 sure from the smaller vessels and the new growth 

 strangulates the circulation as elsewhere; while the 

 contraction of the new growth obliterates many vessels. 



