328 LEECHES 



The nodules are generally irregularly cone shaped and are 

 of variable size. In section they reveal a very -dense struc- 

 ture, the framework of which forms a close reticulum. 



Within the meshes are what appear to be 

 Jytj^^ leucocytes in various stages of disintegration, 



^P^lr and free nuclei. Among these, at places, 



L= J there can be seen small bodies of nearly the 



ViQ.S:^. An isolat- same size as the nuclei and taking the stains 

 ed nodide show- -^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^y_ ^^^^ differing in form. At 

 ing the charac- .... „ , , 



teristic rough- ^'^^ portion of its circumference the substance 

 e n e d , coral-like of the body is seen to draw itself toward a 

 appearance of the point and in favorable preparations that point 

 mass (Fish). jj^g ^jggjj followed some little distance as a 



delicate filament. In most cases the filament remains un- 

 stained, or, as observed in a Gram-eosin preparation, the club 

 end may stain blue and the filament red. Exceptionally one 

 may find a clear area or vacuole in one of the clubs. From 

 the fact that the filament is not usually traceable to its central 

 connection a more or less flagellate appearance is given to the 

 fungus, which represents a condition not believed to exist. 



Not infrequently small spherical bodies are found not far 

 from the clubs, which take the stain readily and whose size is 

 sufficiently small to admit of the possibility of their being 

 spores. The free ends of many of the clubs point toward the 

 periphery of the nodule, but this is not a constant feature. 



The framework of the nodule stains very slightly or not 

 at all and shows among the enmeshed corpuscles as a very 

 irregular, distorted and somewhat glistening network. It is 

 this portion of the nodule that gives the hard, gritty feeling, 

 and is probably due to a greater or less deposition of Hme salts 

 along the reticulum. It appears that the framework of the 

 nodule is compo.sed of a mycelial net, which in the course of 

 development has become more or less calcified. 



As a result of the treatment of the nodules with a lo per 

 cent cold solution of caustic potash, a very profuse and intric- 

 ately branched fungus became apparent. The branching is of 

 an irregular order. In places there is seen in the filament a 



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