ki:tr()(;ui-:ssivic iissri-; cuanci-.s. ZQ7 



the process. If the nuclei uf the cells are not injured and the 

 process is discontinued the infiltrated fat is disposetl ..f and the 

 part recovers. If non-regenerative cells, such as heart muscle, 

 are destroyed, they will not he regenerated, e\ en iJK.ugh the 

 fat is reabsorhed. The destroyed heart muscle cells may be 

 replaced with fibrous tissue. 



Pathologic Fatty Changes. 



(h'atty 1 )cgencratiiin. ) 



Pathologic fatty change, or fatty degeneration, is a condition 

 in which the protoplasm of the alTected cells dimmishes because 

 of an increase of the intracellular fat. I-^at or some (if its cleav- 

 age constituents is prol>ably constantly ]iresent in var_\ ing (|uan- 

 tities in all active cells. 



Pathologic fatt\- changes are of fretpient dccurrence, being 

 associated with diseases of malnutrition, and occurring in acute 

 febrile diseases and nian\- of the infective diseases. It is espe- 

 cially evident in chronic phosphorous poisoning and some other 

 chemicallv induced diseases. 



Pathologic fattv change is differentiated from clmuK- s\\elling 

 as follows: The droplets of fat are soluble in ether and chloro- 

 form and are not dissol\-ed ^\■ith dilute acetic acid or potassium 

 hydroxide : while the granules in cloudv swelling are insoluble in 

 ether and chloroform, but are soluble in dilute acetic acid or po- 

 tassium hydroxide. .Again the fat dro]dets are stained red l)y 

 Sudan III, while the granules of cloudy swelling are not. 

 Fattv degeneration is difficult to differentiate from fatty infil- 

 tration, and in some instances it is impossible to ditferentiate 

 them : in fact, future in\-estigation may confirm the identity of 

 the two processes. In the early stages the fat droplets are usu- 

 allv intracellular in fatty degeneration, and intercellular in fatty 

 infiltration. 



Etiology. — In general, fattv degeneration is the result of the 

 disturbance of cell metabolism. The production of energy, hie- 

 ing intimately associated with the metabolism of fat, becomes 

 a factor in the causation of fatty degeneration. Specifically, 

 disturbed nutrition is the principal cause of fatty degeneration. 

 Disturbed nutrition mav be the result of, 1st, variation in the 

 composition of the blood, 2nd, diminished riuantitv of blood, ord, 

 diminished oxygen supply, and 4th, changed environments of the 

 cells. Insufficient supply ot cell nutriment is the principal in- 



