New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-04-23

proof that the whole subject is involved in obscury
and uncertainty. DR.. Gregg comes forth with
solution 1t may appear at first sight highly pre-
sumptuOus for man i'll comparatively unknown
position in one of our inland cities, far away from
the great Academies to produce new theory OH 90
great and difficult subject; but the best answer W
be- given is to examine with impartiality the explain
alton he Offers and whether there is any pioo'
bility ard truth in it. We will endeayor TO give
briefly AN idea of Dr. Greggs theory of the formation
of tubercles. We will avoid all technical terms ana
inuto details and state the subject In broad outline
and as simply as possible.
The blood to begin with, is composed OF Two MAN
constituent parts First, of liquid, which is called
the sezm 1.-THE serum is composed of water and albu-
men) Second of solid little bodies. floating III tins
Iouid and following its current, called the blood
oOrpuscles There is also small quantity OF hbnn,
fatty matters and Salts but of these it not neces
sary to speak. The nearest approach to albumen Is
the white of an egg If we imagine some white OF
an egg, beaten up in water, we have an idea oil
the serum. The blood corpuscles are extremely
minute bodies, of circular form, and Hat
tened on the sides. They are little cells OF a
disk-shape. they contain red cOloring matter. and
give the blood its red appearance. Conceive of
these minute bodies, flowing with the serum through
the arteries and veins and you have general idea
we will now endeavor to state DR.. Gregg's theory
The proportions of the three constituents of the
blood mentioned are as follows: Mbumen, parts;
water 40 31OO parts blood corpusces, 81 2lOO parts
ont of lOOparts Now, nature has created the blood
corpuscles to live and float in SERUM composed OF
abumen parts and water 40 parts. " these proper
onS changed the blood corpusces are affected bylt
According to the law of eldoSmoSe organized bodies
placed in liquid thinner than that designed for
them absorb the fluid. According to the law Of er-
osnaose similar bodies placed in fluid thicker than
that designed for them hrow out or gue OF the fluid
they contain, and tend to dry up This is the first
point to be borne in mind second point is this.
If the blood loses portion of its abumen. which it
may do as we shall explain, the serum necessarily
becomes thinner, that is. more watery. Suppose it
loses two parts of albumen that 1t stands as to
40 instead of to 90, it follows that
the blood corpuScles float in thinned
or watery serum. Obeying the law
of endosmose they absorb portion of this thinned
serum, and consequence they stoeu up and become
distended and enlarged They lose their disk shape
and assume globular form. The blood oorpuscles,
in their natural state, and Of their natural sze just
pass through the smallest veins and arteries, called
capilaries If they become swollen and distended
by absorbing thin watery serum II follows, as a
consequence that they must pass through with diff
Guilty, and, if much distended become arrested in
their course in these small vessels This, according
to DR.. Gregg's' view, is what takes place. And II
is in these distended blood corpuscles, stopped
in the capar1es, that he finds the
origin Of tubercles. But before explaining
this point let us refer to another All the internal
parts of the body are lined with skin coating,
called the mucous membrane. This membrane re-
tans the albumen within the blood vessels IL por-
tiOns of it's outer coat surface destroyed by
disease Of any kndif its surface becomes abraded-
| the abumen escapes through the wound, and as
consequence the blood is thnned and becomes
watery. Now, these numerous surfaces liable TO
numerous diseases InflammatiOnsrOm colds diseases
driven in upon them from the onter skin - such as
scarlet fevers measles smallpox, sores, ulcers &c
cause abrasions which become so many leakages
for the albumen. Here, then, is to be sought
the original cause of consumption The abraided
surfaces permit the albumcn to The loss of
albumen thins the serum of the blood The
blood eorpuscles floating in this waery serum, alb
serb it, and become distended and enlarged they
then float sluggishy, and the larger ones begin TO
clog OF stop in the eapllares If these points are
clear. we explain Dr. Greggs theory of tubercu-
lar formation. swollen blood cOrpuscle becomes
arrested in ono of the capilaries Of the lungs il
closes it. second blood corpusce arrives, which il
also stopped. Soon little of these blood cor
puseles is formed as large q pins head This mass
disends the blood vessel, and presses against the
neghboring ones, closing them also. en The blood
corpuscles in attempting pass through these, are
likewise arrested. Other small masses are thus
formed and these together constitute larger one
the size of a pea-sometimes a hazel nut. When |
this mass is formed and the circulation is stopped ii
is deprived Of liquid. Then, the blood cOrpusccs. be-
fore swollen with watery serum, begin TO give out
their thinner Notwithstanding to the law OF eros
rnose-and TO dry and shrivel up. At the same time
they part with their red cOloring matter, that
when dry they become yellowish and Opaque. 1t Is
thus that they give rise TO these small masses OF
Opaque matter, jagged and star-shaped. which are
found in the lungs-the tubercles. Such, briefly
stated is Dr. Greggs theory. 1t is very simple; and
its simplicity recommends it. While medical men
have sought actively to discover the origin of tuber
Giles outside Of the constituents Of the blood without
arriving at any satisfactory solution DR.. g. seeks for
it in one Of the constituents of the Blood and finds the
tuberce in the dried and shriveled cell of the blood
corpuscle mass Of these shrveled cells CORE
spends in every particular TO the tuberclc revealed
in its structure by the microscope. We cannot OF
course enter into details but must refer to DR..
Grepg's publication The conclusion to DO drawn
from his theory is all important. Abrasions of the
mucous membrane in any part of the body may lead
to consumption. These abrasions may be caused by
colds by cutaneous diseases being badly cured, and
by numerous skin diseases being driven in upon the
mucous surfaces. AS consequence, diseases like
scarlet fever and the measles Bhonld be thoroughly
cured; no sores or eruptiohs on the skin should be
driven away by external applications; and the skin
should be kept in a healthy state.
The chronological Journal devotes a large
space in the new number TO the discussion OF the "Pan
Ghetto Mystery" examining some OF the principal thee
res which have brought forward In its explanation
There are portraits OF Mr. Gladstone and Miss Caroline
Herschel with report Of their weight as tested in tho