OF SCHIRRUS. 531 



When the softening is exterior or in contact with the air, 

 the surface is gray, greenish, fetid, inflamed; sometimes it de- 

 stroys itself by falling into putrefaction. 



This tissue, multiplies itself in the organization, less, how- 

 ever, than the tubercles, especially at the time of the soften- 

 ing. It has a greater tendency than the tubercle to increase 

 or to extend gradually. It does not appear to be susceptible 

 of being eliminated and of curing itself spontaneously. 



It may exist in all the organs: it is observed frequently in 

 the mammae, the testicles, the uterus, the liver, the lungs, the 

 encephalon, the stomach, the periosteum, the dura mater, the 

 bones, their medullary membrane, the serous membranes, the 

 mucous membrane, the muscles, the glands, the lymphatic 

 ganglipns, and in the common cellular tissue. 



III. OF SCHIRRUS. 



839. The schirrous or glue-like tissue is less common 

 than the preceding; it is often confounded with it under the 

 name of cancer. 

 * It exists most commonly under the form of isolated masses. 



In the state of crudity, it is difficult to distinguish it from the 

 tuberculous and encephaloid tissues. It is hard; but its con- 

 sistence varies from that of cartilage, or of the rind of bacon, 

 to that of the iritervertebral ligaments. It creaks under the 

 point of the. scalpel when scraped; it is white, bluish, gray, 

 little coloured or without colour. It is semi-transparent; it 

 forms masses of irregular figures, rarely lobulated, ordinarily 

 homogeneous; it is sometimes divided in the interior by 

 fibrous or cellular intersections: this interior tissue is some- 

 times regularly radiated, like that of a turnip, sometimes alve- 

 olar, sometimes irregular. Distinct vessels are rarely per- 

 ceived in it. 



Schirrus assumes the consistence of jelly, and sometimes, 

 the appearance of syrup, is sometimes colourless, fulvid, or 

 greenish, sometimes grayish, impure, and stained with blood. 

 Sometimes the. softening is gummy, or pultaceous, and at 

 others, like honey. 



