310 THE TISSUES. 



shows their appearance as compared with the normal state. In an 

 extreme case of mollities ossiurn, Lehmann found in the ribs the 

 following elements, in 100 parts: 



Fat . . 56.92 



Other organic matters .... 24.665 



Phosphate of lime .... 15.881 



Carbonate of lime .... 2.534 



2. In fatty degeneration of the heart, only one or two fat-globules 

 at first appear within the myolemma of the fibres; but, finally, in 

 some cases the whole fibre is occupied by them. Then the fibres 

 become fused together into a more or less opaque mass, in which 

 nothing of the original tissue can be traced. Fig. 259 shows the 

 incipient and the most advanced stage of this disease. 



An accumulation of] the fat-cells naturally existing under the 

 pericardium and in contact with the heart, especially if it also in- 

 sinuates itself somewhat between the muscular fasciculi and fibres, 

 is often mistaken for fatty degeneration. But the microscope shows 

 the fat to be in the ordinary fat-cells, and of the average size of g^ 

 of an inch in diameter ; while in true stearosis, the fat-drops vary 

 from a mere microscopic point to g^Vo^ f an i ncn i n diameter, and 

 are contained within the myolemmata. 



3. In case of stearosis of paralyzed muscles also, the change just 

 mentioned occurs ; oil-globules being contained within the myolem- 

 mata (instead of the fibrilla3 hereafter to be described), and the 

 stria3 having disappeared. 



But stearosis also occurs in smooth muscular fibre, at least in 

 that of the uterus during its atrophy after parturition. Here, also, 

 as Kolliker has demonstrated, the fibre-cells become gradually filled 

 with fat-drops; after which some entirely disappear, while others 

 are reduced to their size previously to gestation. 



4. In fatty degeneration of the kidney, the fat-drops exist partly 

 in the epithelial cells of this organ, and partly in a free state among 

 tl^em. The disease affects the cortical substance more especially. 

 Sometimes the epithelial cells are found detached, and the urinifer- 

 ous tubes entirely filled with fluid fat. 



Oppoltzer conjectured that the urine contains fat whenever there 

 is stearosis of the kidney; which, if correct, would prove a great- 

 aid in diagnosis. Lehmann, however, never found fat in the urine 

 in this disease, except in a single instance. The fat globules some- 

 times seen in the urine of women, frequently proceed from the 



