STARVATION OF VEGETABLE AND ANIMAL TISSUES. 71 
tents, and the oil thus extracted was subsequently precipitated 
in the form of abundant oil globules and crystals."’^ 
The phenomena presented in this case were not peculiar to it, 
but may be taken as fairly typical of the intestinal canal in 
advanced stages of starvation. They show the ultimate effects 
of starvation to consist in general atrophy of the intestine, entire 
removal of the epithelial coat, and extensive degeneration and 
destruction of the nuclei of the adenoid tissue. The degree of 
general atrophy may be estimated from the fact that, while in 
the healthy tadpoles which were examined the average length of 
the intestine from the liver to the commencement of the large 
intestine was T36 inch, and its average breadth 0*018, in the 
starved specimens the corresponding averages were only 0*57 
and 0*011 inch. 
The absence of epithelium appears to be invariable in cases of 
advanced starvation, and in them the destructive change has 
generally been so complete as to leave no evidences capable of 
explaining by what processes it has been effected. Careful 
observations on specimens in earlier stages of starvation, how- 
ever, clearly determined that they essentially consist in a fatty 
transformation of the contents of the cells, followed by gradual 
atrophy and disappearance of the tissue which they compose. 
Even after very brief periods of deficient nutrition changes 
begin to manifest themselves in the cells. The processes of 
change do not, however, affect the entire extent of the epithelial 
surface simultaneously. They first declare themselves over an 
area extending from a point at some distance from the upper 
extremity of the small intestine to another towards its lower 
extremity. Erom this area the changes spread gradually both 
upwards and downwards ; but, until the epithelium has entirely 
disappeared, differences in the degree of change can be distinctly 
traced in various regions, and the area primarily affected is often 
entirely denuded at a time when the terminal portions of the 
small intestine and the whole of the large one show a consider- 
able amount of recognisable epithelium. 
The first sign of change is shown by the cells acquiring a 
yellow tint towards their free extremities. This tint soon 
becomes very marked, and forms a distinct coloured band along 
the margin of the epithelial coat when viewed sectionally. The 
colouring is due to the accumulation of a thick granular matter 
within the cells, which is first deposited immediately around the 
nucleus, and gradually spreads thence throughout the cell. It 
consists of fat, which can be dissolved out by treatment with 
alcohol and ether. With regard to the precise nature of the 
])rocess by means of which the altered cells are finally removed, 
1 am unable to give any definite opinion. During the advance 
