GLANDS. 415 



the appearances of the margins of the lobules in the two 



states : 



" The appearance which the margin of a lobule presents when the pro- 

 cess of secretion has been proceeding actively, differs much from that 

 which is observed when the lobule, so to speak, is quiescent: in the 

 Litter case, as I have described it, the margin is well denned, and bounded 

 by a distinct basement membrane ; while the terminal cells of the linear 

 series contain few and minute oil globules, and do not appear to project 

 outwards in any degree : in the other case the margin of the lobule has 

 an opake cloudy appearance from the multitude of oil-globules. Several 

 cells are seen projecting into the cavity of the duct, giving the wall oc- 

 casionally a tuberculated appearance : these cells contain oil-globules, and 

 their wall is sometimes so extremely delicate as to be barely perceptible 

 even under a high power. Very many oil-globules are also seen, which 

 lie evenly in contact with the sides and floor of the duct : it is difficult to 

 determine whether these have escaped from their cells or not : it seems 

 probable, however, that they are for the most part free, having recently 

 been liberated by the solution of their cell wall. The margin of a lobule, 

 in the condition now described, presents no trace of basement mem- 

 brane ; the cells themselves form the wall of the ducts, preserving still the 

 general outline : it seems, therefore, certain that the basement membrane 

 is only a temporary structure, which disappears when the cells are actively 

 discharging their contents. A forcible and instructive contrast to the 

 above condition was exhibited by a liver which I examined, which was in 

 an advanced state of fatty degeneration : in this the linear arrangement 

 of the cells was lost; they lay confusedly together; and were gorged 

 with their fatty contents ; the margin of the lobule, far from exhibiting 

 any tendency to discharge the retained secretion, was invested, and, as it 

 were, closely bound by a membrane, not of the delicate transparent tex- 

 ture of the basement tissue, but much more opake, and closely resem- 

 bling the semi-fibrous aspect of thin layers of false membrane." 



With respect to the dissolution of the membrane sur- 

 rounding the lobules at the period of the most active secre- 

 tion of the bile, it may be remarked that it is a matter of 

 very great question whether this is either a constant and 

 necessary occurrence, or even a very frequent one. 



Gall Bladder. The gall bladder is composed of an outer, 

 strong, fibrous tunic, and an inner mucous one : this latter 

 has a honeycomb arrangement, and is of the follicular type : 

 the larger meshes, which are plainly visible to the unaided 

 sight, are divided by ridges of membrane into four or five 

 other spaces or depressions of irregular size and form, also 



L L 



