iNPLAMMATiOX. 3 1 1 



lar; they have also become detached from the homogeneous 

 plates. I camiot, without further reasons, consent to ignore 

 positive results like those figured in fig. 99, a. ]n these 

 cells the nuclei and protoplasm have not yet wholly separated 

 from the homogeneous plates, but the moment of separation 

 is evidently at hand; in one of the cells, the little plate 

 has become quite convex on the side to which the nucleus is 

 attached ; in another one, the nucleus is kept in its place only 

 by a fine thread of protoplasm ; a third exhibits the simulta- 

 neous multiplication of the nuclei by fission. The detached cells 

 continue to undergo i)roliferation, as we have already seen ; in 

 brief, the epithelia which are primarily affected by the irritant, 

 react towards it just as connective-tissue corpuscles would react; 

 the luieleated protoplasm on their under surface producing new 

 masses of nucleated protoplasm by division. The homogeneous 

 plate, deprived of its nucleus, is set free, and maybe recognised, 

 even long after, floating about in the serous cavity. 



b. The coagulated albuminous substance, which is associated 

 with cells and nuclei in the recent inflammatory lymph, has 

 nothing whatever to do with the epithelium. It is rather to bo 

 viewed as an essential constituent of the inflammatory exuda- 

 tion. The high degree of tension to which the blood in the con- 

 gested vessels of the serous membrane is subjected, naturally 

 causes an exudation of the liquor sanguinis to take place. We 

 may convince ourselves of the great ease with which such a 

 transudation may set in and continue, in any hypersemia of 

 artificial origin, whether it be active or passive. The exudation 

 resembles the liquor sanguinis in qualitative composition, though 

 its chemical elements are combined in different proportions. 

 The proportion of albumen in particular is very variable, being 

 now above, now below, the standard of the liquor sanguinis. 

 From a histological point of view, we must confine our attention 

 to that element of the exudation of which we have already 

 spoken — the element which passes at once into the solid state — 

 and which is briefly termed ^' exudation-fibrin.'' This term imj^lies 

 the assumption that the fibrin of the blood makes its way to the 

 surface of the serous membrane together with the liquor sanguinisj 

 and that, on its arrival there, it is deposited in a solid form. Is this 

 assumption correct ? Virchoio has put forth the view that exudation- 



