OF KIDNEY AND LIVER. 381 



the more advanced stages of the disease. If the patient sur- 

 vive the stage last described, the kidney becomes partially or 

 wholly atrophied a change due to the contraction of fibrous 

 tissue, produced either from the cells which constitute the 

 disease or from cells resulting from effused fibrin. With the 

 exception of the primary engorgement of the capillary system, 

 and of the Malpighian corpuscles, and their subsequent dimi- 

 nution, I have not observed any very marked change in the 

 vascular system of the kidney during granular degeneration 

 of the organ. 



In proceeding to describe certain parts of the healthy and 

 morbid structure of the human liver, I may observe that very 

 little remains to be done in reference to this gland, since the 

 very admirable researches of Mr. Kiernan. In regard to two 

 parts of the structure, however, we are yet quite in the dark 

 namely, the mode of termination of the hepatic ducts and the 

 connection between them and the nucleated cells of this 

 organ ; but have been able, after considerable difficulty, to 

 verify Mr. Kiernan's supposition that the hepatic ducts 

 terminate by a network within the lobules of the liver, 

 around the intra-lobular veins. But the most important 

 feature in my observations is the detection of the real con- 

 nection between these ultimate ducts and the nucleated cells, 

 which are grouped in the form of acini on the sides of the 

 duct. Each acinus may consist, first, of a single cell, the 

 primary or germinal cell of the future acinus ; or, secondly, 

 of two or more cells enclosed in the primary cell, and pro- 

 duced from its nucleus. The enclosed cells may be named 

 the secondary cells of the acinus ; and in the cavities of these, 

 between their nuclei and cell-walls, the bile and a few oil- 

 like globules are contained, as has been already stated, in the 

 memoir above alluded to. The primary cell, with its included 

 group of cells, each full of bile, is appended to the side of the 

 remote ducts, and consequently does not communicate with 



