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delicate membrane, which appears to be an elementary struc- 

 ture, and not to be composed of areolar tissue ; the origin of this 

 membrane is not at all clear, although we may imagine various 

 ways of reconciling it with the formative process of cells." 

 Various cell walls are examples of hyaline membrane. 



It is further to be remarked, that crystalline forms, whether 

 organic or inorganic, have no place in this arrangement. 



Several instances having come under my notice in which 

 structures submitted to microscopic examination appeared 

 to have undergone considerable alteration, by reason of a 

 more or less advanced condition of decomposition, I was led to 

 institute a series of observations for the purpose of discovering 

 the order (if any) of the morphic changes which take place in 

 the passage of organized bodies through the several stages of 

 putrefaction to their final dissolution and decay, until they re- 

 turn, "ashes to ashes," and "dust to dust." As I believe 

 that the researches I have already made warrant me in stating 

 that a certain order of morphic changes is brought about, I 

 have introduced the term Histolysis, to designate the morphic 

 changes of putrefying tissues, the use of a single word being 

 convenient for the purposes of description and reference. 



Not only will the study of Histolysis be found interesting 

 in itself, as a portion of scientific inquiry, presenting, as it 

 does, several beautiful and unexpected phenomena; but, 

 moreover, the knowledge thereby acquired admits of several 

 valuable and practical applications. Thus, it affords most 

 favourable opportunities for the study of the intimate struc- 

 ture of complicated normal textures, which are thus, as it were, 

 unfolded to our view by a process of natural dissection, in 

 -which the least possible violence is done to the most delicate 

 parts. Furthermore, as I have already stated, I believe it fur- 

 nishes us with means of elucidating some of the early and ob- 

 scure phases of Histogenesis. Lastly, I feel confident that 

 when the histolytic process will have been carefully and suc- 

 cessfully studied in the chief tissues, fluids, and organs, the 



