154 SPINDLE-CELL SARCOMATA. 



tatum). The provisional diagnosis of this variety is based on 

 tlie great softness and dark colour of the tumour. On micro- 

 scopical examination we find, side by side Avitli the alveolar 

 structure in which its growth culminates (fig. 47), parts of vari- 

 able size, illustrating earlier stages in its development. Most 

 common is an infiltration of the connective tissue with pig- 

 mented round-cells ; the transition from this to the meduUarj 

 structure being operated by circumscribed aggregations of such 

 cells. In other cases a well-marked sarcomatous texture, oflener 

 of the spindle- cell than of the round-cell kind, has obviously 

 existed alone for a considerable time before the characteristic 

 globes of cells can have been developed. This leads us to 

 believe that the melanoses generally are very closely related 

 to one another ; a view which will be more amply developed 

 Avhen we come to speak of what is vulgarly known as ^'pig- 

 mcntarv," or ''melanotic'' sarcoma. 



Spindle-cell Saecomata. 



§ 126. IV. Tlie small-celled qjindle-cell sarcoma (s. fuso- 

 cellulare durum) stands in the same relation to other spindle-cell 

 sarcomata as the m-anulation-like sarcoma towards the remainino; 

 round-cell sarcomata. It deviates least from the type of inflam- 

 matory growth, closely imitating that sj^indle-cell tissue of recent 

 cicatrices which constitutes the permanent link between ^^ranula- 

 tion-tissue and the fibroid tissue of cicatrices. The characteristic 

 element of its texture is a short and narrow spindle-cell, con- 

 tainino; a roundlv-oval nucleus with or without a nucleolus. 

 The protoplasm of the cell is finely-granular; it is thickest 

 immediately around the nucleus ; a limitary membrane cannot 

 be certainly shown to exist ; the smaller cells are undoubtedly 

 devoid of one. 



The spindle-cells of which the tumour is made up are very 

 regularly dovetailed into each other, the acute angle left vacant 

 between the pointed ends of every pair of adjacent elements 

 being filled by the pointed end of a third one, lying either 

 behind or in front of them. No trace of any interstitial sub- 

 stance is to be detected ; in no case is there more of it present 

 than there is in granulation-tissue ; but this minimum, which is 

 really nothing more than an amorphous and glutinous cement 



