644 EISEN. [Vol. XV. 



VI. True and False Blood-Plates. 



The reason why so much difference of opinion exists in 

 regard to the nature of the plasmocytes or blood-plates must, I 

 think, be sought for in the fact that different structures have 

 been confounded under the common name of blood-plates. In 

 human as well as in batrachian blood, it is quite apparent that 

 the name blood-plate has been given, not only to the human 

 blood-plates described by Bizzozero, which are highly organized 

 bodies, but also to fragments, — disintegrated parts of erythro- 

 cytes and leucocytes, — as well as to purely chemical or mechan- 



but has not yet expressed any view as to the origin of the plasmocytes. The only 

 published account of his changed views is found on pages 195 and ig6 of / Trom- 

 bociti degii Itiopsidi e dei Saitropsidi^ Memoria del Dott. Ermanno Giglio-Tos 

 (Accademia Reale delle Scienze di Torino, Anno 1897-9S). This is, of course, 

 satisfactory so far as it goes, though I can but think that the proper place for a 

 correction of this kind would have been in the publication where the criticism 

 originally appeared; that is, in the Anatomischer Ameiger. Upon the appear- 

 ance of the article by Dr. Giglio-Tos, and before I had had the pleasure of 

 corresponding with the Doctor personally, I wrote to the publisher of the Aim- 

 tomischer Anzeiger, asking him to request some one entirely disinterested to study 

 and report upon the microscopic preparations of Batrachoseps blood which were 

 sent at the same time. Owing to the very sharp criticism, I thought that this 

 courtesy was due me. The publisher of the journal did not, however, answer my 

 letter. 



In connection with this I will refer to the view held by Dr. Giglio-Tos in regard 

 to the origin of the trombocytes. He entirely disagrees with my opinion that the 

 trombocytes are derived from nucleated erythrocytes, and contends that they con- 

 stitute perfect and independent elements of the blood. Without entering into a 

 full discussion of the subject, I will only call attention to the fact that the nucleus 

 of the trombocyte is invariably found to be in a state of disintegration. Compare 

 the nucleus of the trombocyte with the nucleus of the erythrocyte and with that 

 of the leucocyte and we see at once that it is a degenerating nucleus and not one 

 in a perfect state of preservation. None of the organs or structures of the trom- 

 bocyte nucleus can be distinguished, no matter what methods are used for fixing 

 or staining. If the trombocyte is a perfect element it must have a perfect struc- 

 ture, and we should at some period find some of these trombocytes possessing a 

 perfectly organized and preserved nucleus. The very beautiful figures accompany- 

 ing the highly interesting memoir of Dr. Giglio-Tos show the justness of these 

 remarks. Any one who has carefully studied these cells will see at a glance that 

 the nuclei of all the trombocytes figured by Dr. Giglio-Tos are in a state of dis- 

 integration or degeneration, as far as their morphological structure is concerned. 

 This is the more evident as the author figures, side by side with them, the perfect 

 nuclei of the erythrocytes. (See Figs. 34 to 36, etc.) [Note made at the reading 

 of proof, Oct. 28, 1898.] 



