200 LECTURE VIII. 



words, every irritation of a part, which is abundantly 

 provided with lymphatics, and freely connected with 

 lymphatic glands, occasions also the introduction of large 

 numbers of colourless cells (lymph- corpuscles) into the 

 blood. 



This fact is especially interesting, inasmuch as you 

 will perceive from it, that not only organs richly pro- 

 vided with lymphatic vessels can occasion this increase, 

 but that certain processes also are more calculated than 

 others to lead to the introduction of considerable quantities 

 of these elements into the blood, namely all those which 

 are early conjoined with serious disease in the lymphatic 

 system. If you compare an erysipelatous, or a diffuse 

 phlegmonous (according to Rust pseudo-erysipelatous), 

 inflammation in its effects upon the blood with a simple 

 superficial inflammation of the skin, such as occurs in the 

 course of the ordinary acute exanthemata, or after trau- 

 matic or chemical irritation, you will at once see how 

 great the difference is. Every erysipelatous or diffuse 

 phlegmonous inflammation has the peculiarity of early 

 affecting the lymphatic vessels and producing swellings 

 in the lymphatic glands. In such a case we may feel 

 assured that an increase in the number of the colourless 

 corpuscles is taking place. Further, we find the signifi- 

 cant fact, that there are certain processes which simul- 

 taneously cause an increase of fibrine and colourless cor- 

 puscles, and others again which only occasion an increased 

 production of the latter. To this latter category belong 

 the whole series of simple diffuse inflammations of the 

 skin, in which also no considerable formation of fibrine 

 takes place in the diseased parts. On the other hand, a 

 number of conditions belong to it, which with regard to 

 the quantity of fibrine may be designated as hypinoti- 

 cd, all the processes namely which belong to the typhoid 

 class, and agree in producing considerable swelling now 



