354 CASE OF SAECINA VENTRICUL1. 



2d. Much larger, more irregular, flaccid, ruptured, or half- 

 emptied cells, full of granular matter, which reacted with 

 iodine, and were recognised as fecula-cells of the potato, as 

 they appear after boiling. 



3d. Minute shreds of muscular fibre, cellular tissue, and 

 fat-cells, remains of the food. 



4^, Globules or globular masses, from 500 to 100 of an 

 inch in diameter, apparently oily, and presumed, although as to 

 this no inquiries were instituted, to be some form of the chyme. 



5th. Occasionally, but rarely, portions of bran, consisting 

 of the perisperm of the wheat, recognisable by its internal 

 surface presenting irregular-sized, ovoidal or hexagonal shallow 

 fovese, with included fecula-cells. 



6tk. The organisms themselves, which I at once recognised 

 as belonging to the vegetable kingdom, and considered either 

 as the cause of the symptoms in my patient's case, or at least 

 as very remarkable and important concomitants. 



I may state that these organisms could not have been 

 swallowed in the water used for drink, as the water employed 

 by the family for that purpose was regularly passed through a 

 stone filter. I used every precaution also in ascertaining that 

 they could not have been introduced along with any article of 

 diet, and in satisfying myself that they were not portions of 

 any animal or vegetable tissue. 



I now recommended a return to the use of the prussic acid. 

 I ascertained that it exercised a decided influence over the 

 disease. After some time, however, I became satisfied that it 

 acted more by enabling the stomach to retain its contents, than 

 by any direct influence in preventing the formation of the 

 fluid itself. 



The case proceeded for about a fortnight without any 

 change in the symptoms, the prussic acid being regularly taken 

 at bed-time, with the effect of putting off the attacks occa- 

 sionally for a day or two at a time. 



