19G 



GLANDULAR CARCINOMATA. 



gradual levelling of the septa wliicli intersect it, tending to 

 make it assume a spherical shape ; so that ultimately a single 

 large, but still globular alveolus is produced. A fine section 

 (fig. 62) shows the entire substance of the tumour to be made 

 up of a number of circular areas, some small, some large, corres- 

 ponding to the colloid spheres, which are kept apart by septa of 

 connective tissue. 



How the colloid matter originates, is a far more difficult ques- 

 tion. That it is partly due to retrograde metamorphosis of the 

 cancer-cells, may for the present remain undisputed, since every 

 one of the smaller alveoli is found to contain a group of epithe- 

 lioid elements, which are no longer to be seen in those of larger 



Fig. 62. 



Carcinoma gelatiiiosum. ■^. 



size, while there is nothing in their place beyond colloid matter ; 

 also, because the colloid metamorphosis described in § 44 may 

 actually be seen to take place in some of the individual cells. 

 But I cannot admit that all the colloid matter present has been 

 generated in this way. 



If we look impartially at the very characteristic appearances 

 presented by colloid cancer (fig. 62) we notice that the groups of 

 cancer-cells contained in the alveoli, are first of all in contact with 

 the alveolar walls ; that they are subsequently separated from 

 these walls by a progressively increasing number of layers of 

 colloid matter ; and this without their number undergoing either 



