102 PROTOZOA AND DISEASE 



rabbit, and Fig. 40 is a camera drawing of a portion of a sarcoma of 

 a human breast. In the former some of the chief functions of granu- 

 lation tissue are illustrated cell-division, phagocytosis, formation of 

 new fibrous tissue and new bloodvessels ; in the latter, these func- 

 tions of normal granulation tissue have been prevented. There is no 

 phagocytosis, no formation of fibres or new bloodvessels, and instead 

 of somatic mitoses there are evidences of irregular nuclear processes 

 and cell-subdivisions (Fig. 40 ; J, 4), resulting in the formation of 

 minute stellate and rounded bodies. The subdividing bodies can be 

 traced in this tumour back through a series of forms to the striking 

 intranuclear bodies. If for a moment we suppose this series of forms 

 to be stages of a protozoon, all the points of structure and function 

 that distinguish this sarcoma from granulation tissue are explained. 



I have no doubt that this alveolar sarcoma is an instance of 

 protozoan infection in a person in whom there was no defence on 

 the part of the tissues. To what class should I refer the protozoa ? I 

 do not know. In Fig. 37 ; 6, the forms shown within the small vein 

 would more nearly approach the Sarcodina than any other group. 

 The knobbed tentacles of some of the intranuclear bodies, as 

 shown in the photograph (Fig. 33) closely resemble those of the 

 Suctoria. 



The free parasites in some cases, as shown in Fig. 37 ; J, afford 

 evidence of subdivision without the separation of pure chromatin. 

 In this respect they resemble the bird's-eye bodies of cancer and 

 tertiary syphilis. The minute form of the parasites attack muscle- 

 fibres (Fig. 37 ; 5) as well as connective-tissue cells. I have found 

 evidence in one body (Fig. 37 ; 4) of sexual elements, as indicated 

 by the presence of slender curved filaments radiating from a reticular 

 mass. The central part of these (?) microgametes stained well with 

 acid hsematoxylin. One preparation I bleached and restained with 

 Giemsa's stain, but this failed to reveal any spirochseta-like bodies, 

 though it did afford in a striking manner confirmation of my view 

 that in this alveolar sarcoma of the breast the connective-tissue 

 cells perished, whilst the parasites subdivided into a multitude of 

 ' gemmules.' 



