17 



Mucus, a certain portion of which constantly moistens 

 the surface of mucous membranes in health, is altered both 

 in character and in amount by inflammation. The general 

 statement is that, when a mucous membrane is inflamed 

 {e.g., in bronchitis), its secretion of mucus is at first arrested, 

 then increased and, lastly, perverted in character. 



Goagulable lymph is, however, the characteristic in- 

 gredient of inflammatory exudation. 



Inflammatory lymph is divided by Paget into fibrin- 

 ous and corpuscular lymph, with the assertion that, as a 

 general fact, the more fibrin a specimen of lymph contains 

 (provided it be healthy fibrin), the greater the probability 

 of its being organized into tissue ; while the larger its pro- 

 portion of corpuscles, the greater is the likelihood of sup- 

 puration or some other degeneratine process, and the more 

 tardy its development into tissue. The " biography " of the 

 lymph of exudation consists in its resorption, or its devel- 

 opment into connective, fibrous, elastic, osseous, cartilagin- 

 ous or vascular tissue, or into epithelium, or its degeneration 

 \x\lo pus y granule-cells, exudation granules, &:c. 



The rapid resorbtion of a moderate amount of exuded 

 lymph constitutes the resolution of an inflammation. 



Its development is also a form of resolution, but with 

 modifications of the condition, dimensions, &c., of the part. 



This is in some instances merely restorative. 



The degeneration of the exudation results in its being 

 thrown oft" as pus, or finally absorbed in the form of mole- 

 cular exudation granules. Whether immediate absorption, 

 development, or suppurative or granular degeneration shall 

 occur in any particular case of inflammation will depend — 

 On the state of the blood. 

 On the seat of the inflammation. 

 On the degree of the inflammation. 



As to the seat of the attack, generally serous and 

 synovial tissues — namely, (pleural, peritoneal, arachnoid 

 articular) — are more subject to adhesive inflammation, i.e., 

 with the exudation of fibrinous lymph. Mucous tissues sel- 

 dom exhibit this, being more prone to suppurative inflam- 

 mation. Such special organs as the lungs, liver, &c., when 

 inflamed, may suppurate, or the lymph exuded may degene- 

 rate into exudation granules, and be finally absorbed. 



The degree of the inflammation exercises an im- 

 portant influence. The greater its intensity or severity— (if.^., 

 the more decided and extended the local lesion of nutrition 



