Scientific Memoirs by
In the fibrous tissue of the portal sheaths and interlobular tracts bile
ducts were visible, but neither so large nor so numerous as in the advanced stage
of the disease.
When examined with higher powers (vide fig. 7) the details of the intra-
lobular changes appeared. The new formation between the liver cells was found
to consist of fasciculi, formed of several fibres loosely arranged, with numerous
nuclei and large capillary vessels distended with blood. The hepatic cells were
formed into groups, encircled by the fibrous fasciculi which had completely
broken up the normal columnar arrangement of the lobular elements. The
groups contained, as a rule, five or six liver cells, some were larger, others were
composed , of one or two cells only. The condition of the hepatic cells varied
greatly, not only in the different groups, but also in the individual cells compos--
ing them. In many of the groups the cells appeared quite healthy; in others
they showed signs of degeneration and atrophy, varying from cloudiness of the
protoplasm to complete destruction. The majority of the cells possessed two
or three nuclei, and in these cell the protoplasm was generally abnormally gran-
- u l a r a n d c o n t a i n e d m i n u t e p a r t i c l e s o f p i g m e n t . I n s o m e g r o u p s a m a s s w a s
found in which the nuclei only could be distinguished. In a considerable
number of groups the destruction was complete, the nuclei had disappeared, and
all that remained was a small quantity of debris composed of granules and pig
- m e n t p a r t i c l e s . V e r y f e w o i l g l o b u l e s w e r e f o u n d i n t h e c e l l s a t a n y s t a g e o f
degeneration. The condition of the cells composing the different groups also
varied. In some groups healthy and degenerate cells were found side by side.
It was evident that the state of the hepatic cells was in no way dependent on
the position they occupied in the lobules; central groups presented as marked
signs of degeneration as those at the periphery; and as many healthy cells were
found in the one situation as in the other. The majority of the liver cells were
healthy, or presented an abnormal granular pigmented condition of the proto-
plasm and multiplication of the nuclei. Complete destruction was exceptional,
though in almost every field some cells were found which had undergone extreme
degeneration.
The fibrous tissue of the portal sheaths was in a state of active prolifer
- a t i o n , a s e v i d e n c e d b y t h e n u m e r o u s n u c l e i a n d a b u n d a n t i n f i l t r a t i o n o f r o u n d
cells between the fibres. The formation of the interlobular tracts by prolong-
- a t i o n s f r o m t h e p o r t a l s h e a t h s w a s c l e a r l y s h o w n . T h e p r o c e s s e s d i p p e d i n
between the lobules and were formed of delicate, richly nucleated fibres, infil-
- t r a t e d w i t h r o u n d c e l l s , w h i c h i n p l a c e s w e r e s o n u m e r o u s a s t o h i d e t h e f i b r e s .
In the centre of fig. 7 an interlobular tract is shown.
In the portal sheaths and interlobular tracts numerous bile ducts were
visible. Most of them were small and consequently could not be seen with low
power, Some were large with a distinct fibrous coat and lining of cubical epi-
- t h e l i u m , b u t t h e g r e a t e r n u m b e r w e r e m i n u t e t u b u l e s f o r m e d o f t w o r o w s o f c e l l s
56