Dr. Beale/o?i the Germinal Matter of the Blood. 51 
been retarded in their passage, there can be little doubt that 
the corpuscles actually multiply in number in the clot that 
is formed. In clots, the number of these corpuscles is very 
great, and in some cases the great bulk of the clot seems to 
consist of them. In carmine preparations this point is 
demonstrated most conclusively. (See fig. 6.) 
Of the origin of the ivhite blood-corpuscles. 
In the next place, I would venture to offer further remarks 
upon the origin of the white blood-corpuscles, for these are 
not alone produced by division of corpuscles already existing, 
and from chyle- or lymph-copuscles. 
Origin^ from germinal matter of stellate cells and vessels. 
— In the development of blood-vessels the general opinion is, 
that cells become stellate, and that the processes formed by 
contiguous cells meet together, and thus, it is conceived, the 
cavities of the adjacent cells become connected together by 
tubes. I have contested this inference, and have endeavoured 
to show that, so far from any coalescence between cells oc- 
curring, the communicating tubes, in all cases, result from 
the separation or moving away from each other of cells 
which were originally continuous. Supposing a mass of ger- 
minal matter, with a slightly hardened layer of formed mate- 
rial or cell-wall on the surface, to exhibit a tendency to 
division ; — as the two portions separate farther and farther 
from each other, while at the same time they still continue 
to grow, a narrow communicating tube is formed. The walls 
of this tube clearly correspond to the so-called cell-wall,^^ 
while its cavity contains germinal matter, just as I have 
shown that the prolongations of young connective-tissue-cor- 
puscles contain germinal matter, which extends from the 
central mass (nucleus) . Now, in the formation of capillary 
vessels, a portion of this germinal matter, which is derived 
from the germinal matter of the original cell, in all proba- 
bility gives rise to white blood-corpuscles. 
Development of capillaries and white blood-corpuscles in the 
"periosteum " of a tooth. — In the periosteum of the fang of 
the tooth, in an inflamed state, the changes occurring during 
the development of capillaries may be studied in the adult ; 
the firmness of the tissue renders it possible to cut exceed- 
