ADIPOSE TISSUE FATTY DEGENERATION OF MUSCLES. 363 



the drop of fat, and thus it was, until very recently, still 

 a matter of discussion whether the fat-cells really were 

 cells. It is in reality very difficult to come to a distinct 

 decision upon the subject, but supporting testimony of a 

 very beautiful character is supplied in the course of natu- 

 ral processes. When a person becomes thinner, the fat 

 gradually disappears, the membrane loses somewhat of 

 its tension, is no longer so thin and delicate, and thus 

 becomes more clearly manifest, being sometimes distinctly 

 separated from the drop of fat, and even provided with .a 

 recognizable nucleus (Fig. 107, A, a). We have here 

 therefore a real, complete cell with nucleus and mem- 

 brane, though the contents have been almost entirely sup- 

 planted by the fat it has taken up. This so-called adi- 

 pose cellular tissue is a form of connective tissue (p. 76), 

 and when it undergoes retrogressive metamorphosis, it is 

 clearly seen to be reduced to connective or mucous tis- 

 sue, for between the cells a small quantity of intercellu- 

 lar substance again becomes apparent (Fig. 107, A, b, _#). 

 This species of adipose tissue it is, gentlemen, which 

 under certain circumstances not only gives rise to poly- 

 sarcia and obesity, from continually increasing quantities 

 of connective tissue becoming involved in this accumu- 

 lation of fat, but is also the foundation of all anomalous 

 fatty structures, for example, of lipomata. The differ- 

 ent forms of these structures, and particularly real fatty 

 tumours, are distinguished from one another only by 

 the greater or less quantity of interstitial connective 

 tissue, which the tumour contains, and upon which their 

 greater or less consistence depends. It is the same 

 form of accumulation of fat which we see appear in 

 morbid conditions in a series of cases which, in compli : 

 ance with old tradition, are still called fatty degenera- 

 tion ; and it is indeed particularly the fatty degeneration 

 of muscles which in many instances presents nothing 



