62 MICROSCOPICAL PREPARATIONS. 



This rapid increase of bioplasm under favourable 

 conditions is a fact of the greatest interest and im- 

 portance in reference to certain changes occurring in 

 disease of the higher tissues of plants, animals, and 

 man. For we shall find that just as the bioplasm of 

 the fungus may grow and live and give rise to new 

 bioplasm at the expense of the formed material already 

 produced, so the bioplasm of an elementary part of 

 the highest organism may increase and consume its 

 formed material. In this way we shall see that firm 

 and scarcely changing tissue may become the seat of 

 active change, and ultimately be removed. Thus is 

 the fatty matter of adipose tissue removed, and the 

 hard, compact tissue of bone scooped out to make 

 room for new osseous texture. In this way the 

 abscess and the ulcer commence, and the " softening " 

 of cartilage and other hard textures is brought about. 

 The pathological process known as " inflammation " 

 is due to the increase of bioplasm. In certain forms 

 of cancer the process is seen in its most active, and 

 to us, most painful form ; for as the growth proceeds, 

 not only is the formed material of adjacent textures 

 rapidly consumed, but no sooner has the soft cancer- 

 tissue been produced, than it is consumed in its turn by 

 new cancer- tissue, and this by more, until an enormous 

 mass of soft, evanescent, spongy texture results, 

 which destroys the poor patient by its enormous exac- 

 tions upon his terribly exhausted system. 

 MICROSCOPICAL PEEPABATIONS ILLUSTEATING LECTTJBE IV. 



No. of diameters 

 magnified. 



12. Bioplasm in act of division, certilage, newt . . . . 215 



13. Bioplasm from mucus from the throat . . . . 215 



14. Spores, &c., sugar fungus . . . . . . . . 700 



15. Growing spores, penicillium . . . . . . . . 700 



16. Growing branches and fructification, spores, peni- 



cillium . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 



17. Budding and branching of sugar fungus . . . . 215 



18. Masses of bioplasm at the extremity of radicle of 



growing potato . . . . . . . . . . 130 



