MICROSCOPICAL DIAGNOSIS. 



per and lower jaw, etc. They are troublesome only when some 

 neighboring part is affected by pressure. The appearance under 

 the microscope is not unlike that of the true bone, at least the lacu- 

 nae and canaliculi are present, although not arranged in any order. 



TYPE OF MUCOUS .TISSUE. 



Myxoma, mucous tumor, tumor mucosus, gelatiniform or col- 

 loid sarcoma. A myxoma consists of a mucous basis substance in 

 which are spindle-shaped or stellate cells which anastomose with 

 each other. A few are round or oval or spherical. This is very 

 generally the case in the younger growths. If young and rapidly 

 growing the number of these cells will be largely increased propor- 

 tionately. A nucleus is seen in each of the cells. Sometimes two 

 nuclei are present. The refracting power of the mucus is so great 

 that some care is necessary in order to see the outlines of the cells. 

 Staining will be of advantage here. The cells are easily obtained 

 by simply scraping the cut surface and adding a little saline solu- 

 tion to the scrapings. They are closely related to cells found in the 

 sarcomata, and by many are so classed. The same kind of tissue 

 exists in two places in the body physiologically, in the vitreous hu- 

 mor of the eye and in the umbilical cord. 



The myxomata usually occur as single tumors, and are gener- 

 ally round, uniform and small. The fresh cut surface may show 

 septa of connective tissue, giving the growth a soft but quite firm 

 consistence, or the connective tissue may be nearly, if not entirely 

 absent. There will then escape a viscid mass of mucilagenous con- 

 sistence to such a degree that the whole tumor will become flat- 

 tened and formless. Their most favorite seat is in the adipose tis- 

 sues, and they are here generally encapsuled. The growth is usual- 

 ly slow, although they are many times of extraordinary size. The 

 walls of the blood-vessels are very thin and liable to rupture. 

 Hence the frequency with which sanguineous cysts are met with. 



The cells themselves may become destroyed by either fatty or 

 mucoid degeneration. As a rule the myxomata are innocent 

 growths. Sometimes, however, they exhibit malignant properties. 

 This probably is due to the fact that many times these growths are 

 combined with others, especially the sarcomata. 



