208 FORMATION OF MILK GLOBULE. 



these cells grow, and by a species of budding or pro- 

 liferation, accompanied, it may be, by a species of 

 fatty degeneration in their contents, the old cell is 

 cast off to appear as the milk globule, while the new 

 cell takes its place. 



The milk globule is consequently formed from the 

 animal ; nay more, was, up to the moment of sepa- 

 ration, a portion of the animal, subject to whatever 

 changes may have been impressed upon it by its 

 position, and formed through, and subject to, what- 

 soever changes may have affected it through its rela- 

 tion with the animal, as those arising from inheri- 

 tance and environment. There is this difference, 

 however, between these cells and the milk globule : 

 In the one case, a portion of the animal, they are 

 subject to changes impressed by the animal ; in the 

 other case, free from the animal, simply stored in 

 the udder, they can receive none of these changes ; 

 they are as independent of their parent cells as 

 when they are placed in the milk-pail. 



According to Striker, fat globules may be detected 

 in the acini of women who have died from puerperal 

 fever. From careful observations on the acini from 

 the gland of the cow's udder, we have been unable 

 to detect separate fat globules in any one instance. 

 We can say, however, with considerable coufidence, 

 that the cells from the acini, when detached, can in 

 nowise be distinguished from the globule of milk 

 from the same udder. 



We will now allude to the uniformity of the plan 

 observed in nature, the production of different re- 



