Medical Officers of the Army of India.
1 5
of the free extremities to a greater or less degree had led to the formation of
bodies of concentrically spiral type (Plate III, Fig. 1).
Corresponding series of forms showing the process of resolution in ellipses
and spindles were also present in abundance. As in the case of the circles the
commas resulting from the process were either of equal or unequal sizes.
Where the latter was the case the smaller comma often appeared as though in
-cluded more or less within the concavity of the larger one (Plate III, Fig. 1).
Very remarkable and instructive appearances were presented in many in
- s t a n c e s w h e r e t h e p r o c e s s o f r e s o l u t i o n h a d a f f e c t e d o n e o f t h e c o m p o u n d b o d i e s
consisting of two spindles united in pairs by their opposed extremities. Where
the process of resolution had advanced in like degree in both spindles, and
where divergence of the distal extremities of the pairs of resultant commas had
occurred, the entire body presented the appearances represented in the accom
-panying figure (Plate III, Fig. 1B).
Where, on the other hand, resolution had advanced more rapidly in one
or other spindle, and where, therefore, divergence had only begun to occur in one
of the resultant pairs of commas, this figure was replaced by that also shown in
the figure (Plate III, Fig. 1B).
Specimens were also present which appeared to show that in those cases
in which the vacuolation had led to a resolution of the protoplasm into two dis
-tinct polar masses, each of these tended to become gradually converted into a
short comma due to gradual hollowing out of its equatorial face. In this form
of resolution the long axes of the resultant commas will of course be directed
at right angles to the long axis of the parent body in place of parallel to it as
in other varieties of the process. Where vacuolation was lateral in place of
central only one comma appeared to arise as the result of the occurrence of re
-solution, arising in consequence of gradual conversion of the continuous lateral
band of protoplasm and solution of the vacuolate side of the parent body, the
process being essentially one of rejuvescence and not of multiplicative subdivi
-sion of protoplasm.
The phenomena presented by the various curved forms were parallel to
those occurring in connection with the elliptical and fusiform ones. In some
cases two commas were developed, in others only a single one corresponding
with the convex surface of the parent. Where two commas resulted from the
resolution of a parent body of like form, so long as they retained a definite re
-lation to one another they formed a pair differing from those due to division of
spindles, ellipses, or circles in having the convex and concave faces of both the
commas directed to the same side in place of being opposed to one another
(Plate III, Fig. 1). Where processes of resolution affected piano-convex forms
they appeared usually to lead to the formation of a long strongly curved body
and a short straight one corresponding respectively to the convex and plane faces
of the parent. In many cases, however, division appeared to be replaced by