274 



Inflammation. 



The fibrinous exudate may form delicate or thick, more or. less ad- 

 herent, grayish white to yellow deposits or flocculent precipitates 

 of a semi-transparent, elastic type. On the surfaces of serous mem- 

 branes it may be observed as a frost-like deposit of thick patches 

 of coagulated substance which can be torn off in shreds, look some- 

 thing like omelet and perhaps cover considerable areas of the 

 serous surface (false membrane). The viscidity of the exudate is 

 responsible for the fact that on opposed surfaces which move over 





«&'iL 





Fig. 52. 

 Fibrinous exudate on surface of heart of tow (traumatic pericarditis). 



each other (pleura, diaphragm, peritoneum) the layers of exudate 

 in rubbing upon each other leave the fibrinous material stretched 

 and dragged into a reticular, villous appearance, reminding one of 

 butter on two pieces of bread which have been pressed together 

 and then pulled apart, or of the ridged appearance of tripe {dry ox 

 fibrinous e.viidation) . In other instances the coagula of fibrin are 

 so large as to appear as elastic rind-like layers, thick as one's hand, 

 riddled with tiny holes which contain serum ; or the serous exudate 



