Hyaline Degeneration. 199 



and upon the relative importance of the affected tissues. Pre- 

 cisely in the same way . that fat in the adipose connective tissue 

 cells is a reserve and may be removed from these cells, there is 

 possible a recover}- from fatty infiltration in case of these or any 

 other fat containing" element, provided the cells are otherwise 

 healthy. Even fatty degeneration is recoverable to the extent 

 that replacement of loss in affected cells occurs from remaining 

 normal cells or nuclei (mitotic nuclear figures have been found in 

 fatty degenerated cells (Ribbert), and the ordinary recovery from 

 the infectious diseases in which muscular and hepatic fatty meta- 

 morphosis is apt to occur would substantiate this view^). The 

 massive increase of adipose tissue in the body may be harmful to 

 the rest of the tissue elements from the mechanical effects of dimin- 

 ishing space and compressing the cells against each other, as in 

 the heart, where in case of excessive fatty infiltration the fat pene- 

 trates between the cardiac muscle fibers. Liver cells, which are 

 the seat of marked fatty infiltration and consequent enlargement, 

 compress the capillaries distributed between the cell columns, and 

 in this way give rise to anaemia and its results. Both cells and 

 tissues are rendered softer and more friable by fatty degeneration 

 and this diminution of resistive power against mechanical influ- 

 ences may have serious consequences, as rupture of a degenerated 

 liver or of arteries with degenerated walls from increased blood 

 pressure. Advanced grades of fatty degeneration have, as might 

 well be expected, a serious influence upon cellular function apart 

 from the fact that this process is in itself an indication of patho- 

 logical disturbance of the cellular protoplasm. For example, an 

 intense fatty degeneration is capable of decidedly diminishing or 

 entireh. destroying the contractile power of muscular fibres (a cause 

 of cardiac dilatation and paralysis of the heart). In exceptional 

 circtmistances the process may be distinctly favorable to efforts 

 to effect recovery, facilitating the resorption or removal of in- 

 jurious substances like tumors or foci of purulent softening in the 

 tissues. 



Hyaline Degeneration. 



The transformation of a tissue into a microscopically homo- 

 geneous, glassy or transparent, colorless and highly refractile 

 coagulum is known as hyaline degeneration. There are produced 

 as a result of this change one or more types of albuminates, sepa- 

 rable chemically from each other with difficultv. the substance, 



