Dr. BealEj on the Germinal Matter of the Blood, 53 
in connection with the capillary walls generally. An increase 
of white blood-corpnscles will take place in all conditions in 
which the access of pabulum to these*masses of germinal or 
living matter is favoured. 
New views with regard to exudations. 
As already stated^ I have been led to the conclusion that 
very small particles of living or germinal matter detached 
from a white corpuscle^ or from the nucleus of a capil- 
lary or small vessel^ may give rise to the formation of a 
new one. I now propose to pursue this part of the inquiry 
somewhat further^ for it involves pathological questions of 
the utmost interest and importance with reference to the 
exudation theory/^ and the production of what has been 
called heterologous new formations.^^ Some pathologists 
believe that a clear transparent plasma may give rise to the 
formation of living cells; and it has been confidently and 
most positively urged that particles may be precipitated from 
such a formative fluids become aggregated together^ and 
thus it is asserted^ a body may be formed which afterwards 
becomes livi7ig (Bennett). On the other hand it has been 
most dogmatically laid down that every cell comes from a 
pre-existing cell — ^^Omnis cellula e cellula" (Virchow). There 
are living bodies which do not fall within the definition given 
of a ^' cell/^ which nevertheless grow and multiply , and it is 
undoubtedly true that bodies which are regarded as cells do 
appear in fluids which appear perfectly clear and transparent. 
I am therefore prevented by facts and observations from 
adopting the views entertained by those who accept the "exuda- 
tion theory, while I am equally unable to accept the cell 
theory/^ either in its new or in its orignal form. Those who 
advocate the first have assumed that a fluid which appears to 
be clear cannot have particles of matter suspended in it which 
are so small or so transparent as to have escaped observation ; 
while those who support " cellular pathology have ignored 
the fact that in some cases bodies which they would admit to 
be cells do appear under circumstances which render it un- 
reasonable, if not impossible_, for any unprejudiced observer 
to attribute their origin to pre-existing cells. 
For example, in pneumonia the material which is poured 
into the air cells of the lung is seen to consist almost entirely 
of very small granular " corpuscles or " cells which consist 
of living matter; and which grow and multiply very rapidly. 
