226 LECTURE IX. 



certain amount of irritation in the lymphatic glands im- 

 mediately in connection with it. 



If we proceed a step farther and consider pathological 

 cases, we meet with these leucocytotic conditions in the 

 whole of that series of diseases which are complicated 

 with glandular irritation, and in which the irritation does 

 not lead to a destruction of the glandular substance. 

 During the progress of an attack of scrofula, in which, 

 if the disease run a somewhat unfavourable course, the 

 glands are destroyed, either by ulceration, or cheesy 

 thickening, calcification, etc., an increased introduction of 

 corpuscles into the blood can only take place as long as 

 the irritated gland is still in some degree capable of per- 

 forming its functions, or still continues to exist ; as soon 

 however as the gland is withered or destroyed, the for- 

 mation of lymph-cells likewise ceases and with it the leu- 

 cocytosis. In all cases, on the other hand, in which a 

 more acute form of disturbance prevails, connected with 

 inflammatory tumefaction of the glands, an increase in 

 the colourless corpuscles always takes place in the blood. 

 So it is in typhoid fever, in which we observe such ex- 

 tensive medullary (markige) swellings of the abdominal 

 glands ; so it is in cancer patients, when irritation of the 

 lymphatic glands manifests itself ; so, lastly is it in the 

 course of the processes which come under the denomina- 

 tion of malignant erysipelas and are so early wont -to be 

 accompanied by glandular swellings. Such is the mean- 

 ing of this increase in the colourless elements which ulti- 

 mately always refers us to an increased development of 

 lymph-corpuscles within the irritated glands. 



It is now of importance that 1 should point out to you, 

 that at present our conceptions concerning lymphatic 

 glands are much more comprehensive than they were a 

 short time ago. The most recent histological investiga- 

 tions have shown that, in addition to the ordinary well- 



