CONSUMPTION. 143 



ments escaping from the swollen vessels unite in the 

 inflammatory tissue, and together with the destruction 

 of many new cells, white corpuscles and other waste 

 products form the purulent matter which is expector- 

 ated. In all forms of consumption of the lungs the 

 walls of the small air tubes and their dilated extremi- 

 ties, the air cells are thickened by inflammation, and 

 both are more or less filled wth a catarrhal exudate, 

 and embryonic tissue; some of which is cast off before 

 it has time to mature. The changes and conditions 

 described are responsible for the consolidation present. 

 In quick consumption death occurs before many of the 

 changes have time to occur. 



The cause of quick consumption is, that the system 

 is so overcome with self -generated poisons, as described, 

 that degenerative changes occur in different parts of 

 the body at the same time as the lungs, pleura, diges- 

 tive tract, peritoneum, kidneys, liver, brain, etc. These 

 cases prove rapidly fatal. 



In tuberculosis, pathologists teach that the tubercles 

 first form in the mucous membrane which line the air 

 cells. This corresponds exactly with the statements 

 made ; i. e., that each air cell is surrounded or enveloped 

 in a net work of small vessels, and through this system 

 of vessels the blood is constantly pouring, and if un- 

 healthy and irritating produces a low form of inflam- 

 mation which may result in tuberculosis. A dead or 

 dying cell first becomes the center of the tubercule by 

 exciting inflammation around it. Dead tissue always 

 excites inflammation, this is nature's means of check- 

 ing disease. The inflammation surrounding the tuber- 



