136 FATTY DEGENERATION. 



erroneous, for, in many cases, at an early period of 

 development, collections of bioplasts can be detected 

 without difficulty, in relation with which not a trace 

 of connective tissue can be found. Around the vessels 

 of the mesentery of young animals the bodies in ques- 

 tion are seen as well as the corpuscles of the connective 

 tissue of the mesentery, but quite distinct from them. 

 While, therefore, it is certain that the bioplast of the 

 connective tissue corpuscle, of cartilage, and of some 

 other elementary parts, may be transformed into fat 

 cells, it is also an unquestionable fact that, in the de- 

 velopment of adipose tissue, special bioplasts are con- 

 cerned which are quite distinct from those engaged in 

 the formation of connective tissue. The bioplasm of 

 cartilage in highly fed animals often produces oil 

 globules which accumulate in the so-called cartilage 

 cell, and the bioplasm becomes pushed on one side, 

 and so compressed that it may entirely escape notice. 

 181. In the young mouse such a change is com- 

 monly observed, and not unfrequently, the fat 

 accumulates to such an extent that the tissue might 

 almost be described as adipose tissue, in which the 

 ordinary vesicle or cell wall is replaced by firm car- 

 tilaginous texture. Each spherical capsule of cartilage 

 tissue is occupied by a large oil globule, between 

 which and the inner wall of the capsule the remains 

 of the bioplasm that has taken part in the formation 

 of both fat and cartilage may be distinctly seen if 

 the specimen has been properly prepared by previous 

 soaking in carmine fluid, 68. 



193. Fatty degeneration. That condition which is 

 termed fatty degeneration of the liver, and which is 

 very common in consumptive patients, also affords a 

 good illustration of the changes which occur when 

 fat is formed. To such an extent does the change 

 sometimes proceed, that a section of the fatty liver 

 could not be distinguished from certain forms of 

 adipose tissue. Not a particle of biliary colouring 



