T4 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 



Among the normal corpuscles are many showing abnormal characteristics ; 

 and because of the nature of the tumour, its unknown cause, and the cachexia 

 found in patients suffering from cancer, a description of the changes observed 

 may be of more than ordinary interest. The nucleated red corpuscle of the 

 bird lends itself to careful observation, much more so than the non-nucleated 

 corpuscle of the mammal. Many of the corpuscles react differently to the 

 stain when compared with the normal corpuscle. The protoplasm is of a 

 bluish tint (polychromatophilia), without being actually dark-blue, and occa- 

 sionally appears vacuolated. The edge of the corpuscle is frequently indented 

 and has an irregular, often frayed contour ; the nucleus is swollen ; the 

 network is more apparent ; the granules mentioned above are more evident ; 

 the transverse diameter of the nucleus has increased ; the stain is of a 

 decided red tint ; the nucleus is now nearly circular, and has a greater 

 volume than in the normal condition. Its transverse measurement may 

 reach 4*3/i to 5"25/i, and even more. The changes noted in the protoplasm 

 become later more pronounced, and eventually it disappears, leaving a free 

 nucleus unprovided with a protoplasmic setting, or the changes have resulted 

 in the protoplasm surrounding the nucleus refusing to stain. No " shadows," 

 however, could be detected. The nucleus appears to undergo further changes, 

 as evidenced by the acid character of the staining, and eventually loses all 

 nuclear structure, an irregular mass of a deep-pink tint, evidently from the 

 eosin of the stain, alone remaining. All the changes mentioned may be 

 readily followed in a single film, and the number of examples of nuclear 

 remnants is very remarkable, even at a cursory examination. 



There was no evidence of a leucocytosis in the films, rather the contrary, 

 as the number of white corpuscles was low, though examples of most varieties 

 were encountered. 



It is to be regretted that no examination was made of the blood in 

 cases 1 and 2 ; but it is likely that in each case the blood-films would have 

 been rejected, as showing ijost-mortem changes. Such, however, cannot be 

 said of the films made from the thrush, as the post-mortem examination and 

 the films were made immediately after death, and while the blood was still 

 living. It is to be further noted that no protozoa or other parasites were 

 detected in the blood, though a careful search was made. 



The condition of the blood and the changes observed in the tumour 

 suggest the activity of a toxin such as some maintain the malignant tumours 

 produce. It may be that the toxin is the product of the undiscovered 

 parasite or parasites which in all probability give rise to these neoplasms 

 or new growths. At the present moment we cannot say ; but I have thought 

 it my duty to present to the Academy these facts which I have observed, 



