CONDITION OF EPIDERMAL FIBRILS IN EPITHELIOMA. 295 
of two concentric rings of fibrils, connected together by 
transverse strands radiating from the central ring like the 
spokes from the axle of a wheel. The central ring contains 
a darkly stained central area and the slirivelled-up remains of 
a nucleus (fig. 6 , in.). It is difficult to determine the nature of 
this central area. It is composed of a homogeneous substance 
which retains the hmmatoxylin stain. Outside the inner ring 
of fibrils lies a zone of cytoplasm, through which radiates to 
the outer ring a number of short fibrils. The outer ring of 
fibrils is also surrounded by cytoplasm, in which is seen the 
remains of another nucleus (fig. 6 , en.). Intermediate stages 
can be found in which the transverse fibrils are confined to 
one side of the central nucleus (fig. 7). This and other 
intermediate stages lead one to the conclusion that the 
formation of these bodies is originally brought about by the 
fusion of two cells, of which one acts as a core to the other. 
The fibrils of the outer cell (fig. 7, II) envelop the nucleus 
and fibrils of the inner cell (fig. 7, I). Later on another cell 
may be drawn into the combination. Thus in fig. 7 the 
margin of the lower cell (III) can be traced all round, except 
in the area where its fibrils have become continuous with 
those of cells I aud IT, indicating that the cytoplasm of the 
three cells has coalesced into one common mass at that point. 
Hence, when that process is completed, it would not be 
possible to distinguish the separate cytoplasmic areas of the 
three cells. 
In the epithelioma with which we are dealing, the malignant 
cells appear to multiply entirely by amitotic division (fig. 
1, b), since no mitotic figures were seen. 
Amitotic division figures were plentiful, and it would seem 
that in this tumour the life of all the cells, after a period of 
activity accompanied by growth and reproduction, comes to 
an end, this being brought about by the degeneration of the 
epidermal fibrils, and the strangulation of the nucleus. It is 
obvious that the fibrillar degeneration does not arise in all 
the cells at the same time, otherwise the tumour would rapidly 
disappear. It would be rash to speculate as to the conditions 
