196 



THE FLUIDS, 



1. The jtoW portion alone of mucus is peculiar, and this alone is 

 to be regarded as a secretion. Its chemical reaction varies ; being 

 alkaline, for instance, in mucus from the cervix uteri, while it is 

 acid in that from the vagina. It contains only from 4.4 to 11.8 per 

 cent, of solid matter, of which 0.7 per cent, consists of salts, the 

 chloride of sodium being the most abundant. 



2. The morphological elements are to be regarded as distinct 

 developments, either formed or merely inclosed in the fluid portion. 

 The epithelial cells belong to the latter category; the cytoid (mucus) 

 corpuscles are developed in the true mucus, after its secretion from 

 the blood, upon the mucous membrane (p. 147). The morphological 

 dements, however, usually form a large portion of the whole mass. 

 The epithelial cells are conoidal or otherwise in form, according to 

 the particular membrane or part from which they are derived. The 

 cilia usually become detached if the epithelia were ciliated. 



Albumen does not exist normally in mucus, but occurs whenever 

 the mucous membrane becomes inflamed. (Julius Vogel.) It may 

 also occur in mere congestion ; but in both of these cases results 

 from transudation. : Fat is abundant in catarrhal affections, in the 

 form of vesicles or granules ; there being, however, but very little 

 in normal mucus. Molecular granules are most abundant in the 

 white sputa of typhus. Coagula of fibrine and colored blood-cor- 

 puscles are often found on mucous membranes when inflamed (e. g. 



in croup); but here true mucus 



Fig. 109. 



Mucus-corpuscles, epithelial cells, and blood-disks, 

 in vaginal mucus. The epithelial cells are recog- 

 nized by their comparatively very large size. 



is no longer secreted, but an 

 exudation has occurred instead. 

 These coagula often form tubes 

 lining the bronchia in bronchi- 

 tis and pneumonitis. A mixture 

 of mucus and blood-corpuscles 

 and epithelial cells is shown by 

 Fig. 109. 



Granular masses and cells 

 inflammation-globules (p. 119), 

 are also found, especially in case 

 of inflammation of the air-pas- 

 sages. Some discover pus-cor- 

 puscles, also, in case of inflam- 

 mation of the mucous mem- 

 branes ; but it has been already 



