133 
of Edinburgh, Session 1880-81. 
If the border of the tear he now examined (a yg-th or T \th immer- 
sion lens is here desirable), a beautiful investing membrane may be 
seen projecting, often for some distance from the rent. It can be 
traced on to the cell itself, and is evidently the projecting lip of a 
membrane which invests it, and which has been torn through at 
this part. Often, again, one may see the collapsed membranous 
bags, containing merely the nucleus and a very small portion of the 
granular protoplasm which filled it, and which may now be seen 
scattered around. 
That the investing membrane or cell-wall is very thiu, it is 
needless to say ; yet, when demonstrated by the above method, 
it can most clearly be made out, and in almost every prepara- 
tion several entire but empty cell-walls may be seen about the 
field, showing that, although very fine, they are tough and 
resisting. Scattered among the liver-cells other tissue elements 
are to be seen. There are blood corpuscles, both white and 
coloured, and connective tissue corpuscles, the protoplasm of which 
is deeply tinted by the magenta. Torn capillaries are also to be 
seen, and they may at first sight be mistaken for the cell-walls 
which have been described above. There should be, however, no 
difficulty in recognising their tubular shape, and the fact that they 
have in these walls tissue which is tinted with the magenta. This is 
the protoplasm of the so-called nuclei of the epithelial plates of 
which they are composed. 
I have been able to demonstrate these facts in the human liver 
and in that of the rabbit, as well as in the ox. The existence of 
the investing membrane is probably universal. 
The addition of magenta is not necessary, although it is a great 
help, for the same points can be shown without its use. Of course 
a fresh preparation of the liver must be taken for examination, for 
it is conceivable that the hardening fluid might of itself produce a 
condensed outer layer which would simulate a membrane. 
BUSINESS. 
Mr Walter Whitehead, Mr A. H. Anglin, Mr J. A. Harvie Brown, 
Dr W. A. Herdman, Mr Thomas William Bumble, and Mr Bobert 
Lawson, were balloted for and declared duly elected Fellows of the 
Society. 
