238 
DR. MARTIN BARRY ON THE CORPUSCLES OF THE BLOOD. 
these vessels is seen in fig. 142. It was a branch, proceeding from a trunk more 
than three times its diameter. 
170. In delicate, flat, and branchless tubes, from the edge of the lens — where red 
tubes have presented to me a parallel direction, from behind forwards — I have found 
corpuscles, having the same appearance as corpuscles of the blood, arranged with 
curious regularity; their flat surfaces being in contact with one another (fig. 145.). 
These corpuscles were blood-red, and red colouring matter was seen between or 
around them. For other particulars respecting these corpuscles, I refer to the 
explanation separately given, and to figs. 146, 147, 148; here mentioning only the 
brightly pellucid object in the situation of the original cavity or depression in the 
corpuscles. I may return to the subject of the corpuscles in these figures, in a 
future communication. 
171. In figs. 151, 152, are portions of tubes, also from the edge of the lens. These 
figures are almost entirely in outline. Tubes are very frequently met with, having 
their contents (which resemble altered blood-corpuscles) in this state. The pellucid 
object arising in the centre of the corpuscle, is originally round (fig. 151 .). It appears 
that these pellucid objects enlarge, and then coalesce with one another ; the red 
colouring matter at the same time disappearing. By this means transparent, colour- 
less, and very bright spaces are produced ; sometimes so large as to occupy a very 
considerable, and even the principal, portion of the tube. But here again I must 
refer to the explanation of the figures ; remarking only, that there was visible in some 
of the pellucid spaces (in fig. 152.) a minute, highly refracting object (S), apparently 
an orifice communicating with the exterior of the tube (e5 &). Tubes with contents 
such as those in fig. 152, vary much in their diameter at different parts. I met with 
a tube of this kind, which, at one part measured t<W", then decreased to and 
then again enlarged to Ybo'" : and all this variation in the diameter of the tube, was 
observed within -jV" of its length. I have frequently noticed corpuscles, having the 
appearance of altered corpuscles of the blood, some of which had perhaps escaped 
from such tubes as those last referred to. Some of these corpuscles are seen at 9 
and 1 , fig. 142, and in fig. 143. 
172. In figs. 153, 154, 155, 156, are pale cells, such as those constituting the 
foundation of the crystalline. As was observed by Schwann, there is a nucleus in 
many of these cells ; but, as he likewise saw, there are very many in which no 
nucleus is found. On very closely examining the cells which had no nucleus, I 
have thought many of them filled with discs (fig. 153.). These discs (if I was not 
mistaken in the observation) had no doubt resulted from a division of the nucleus of 
the cell. But the cells are so very pale, that often nothing can be discerned in their 
interior. In figs. 156 and 159, a nucleus is seen to have divided into tw r o parts; 
each of which was a disc, and presented an indication of subdivision into other discs. 
173. Besides confirming, in this way, my opinion as to the mode of origin of the 
