PATHOLOGY OF PULMONARY DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 
63 
The contents of the alveolae resemble mucus in the highest 
degree, and it must be our next task to decide whether it contains 
mucin or not. Should we able to discover mucin in the same, as 
the alveolae do not secrete mucus, the idea would then receive 
confirmation, that the fluid in question is secreted by the bronchial 
mucosa, and only aspired into the alveolae. I was however unable 
to find mucin in the fluid. I have had frequent opportunities to 
study the changes in question, and to accumulate great quantities 
of the fluid in question by the old, worn-out horses used for ana¬ 
tomical purposes at the Berlin Institute, but have never been able 
to find mucin in the same. The fluid is viscid and resembles the 
white of an egg. Cellular elements are also to be discovered in 
the fluid, most of which bear a strong resemblance to the white 
blood cells. I will here take no part in the discussion as to the 
derivation of the cells, except to remark that some of the cells 
are smaller than the white blood cells, while others are much 
larger and provided with several nuclei. The last are considered 
by Friedlander to be desquamated swollen epithelial cells from 
the alveolae. This disease product, contained in the alveolae, 
consists then of cells and a mucus-like fluid. This product is con¬ 
sequently movable, and to me the question: Why these masses 
were not expectorated, why do they remain filling up the 
alveolae ? became one of great interest. I must here remark that 
I cannot accept the nomenclature which Bindfleish has given to 
these changes, viz.: “^Edema, or inveterate oedema,” and still 
less, when I, at the same time, consider the explanation of B., 
according to which the condition is dependant upon the exudation 
of blood serum from the vessels in consequence of mechanical 
disturbances of the circulation. We have here to do with an in¬ 
flammatory process, as is demonstrated by the appearance of round 
cells in the fluid contained in the alveolae. We have therefore to 
do with a so-called inflammatory mdema. Cohnheim has treated 
this subject better than anyone else, and his assertions are exactly 
conformable to the condition in point in the lungs, if we at the 
same time consider the circumstance under which the inflammatory 
processes in the lungs are developed. Laennec was the first to 
give the name “ gelatinous infiltration ” to these changes in the 
