The actual process of nutrition in the living structure demonstrated by the microscope; and the renewal of the tissues and secretions, with the phenomena and products of inflammation, illustrated and established / [William Addison].

  • Addison, William, 1802-1881
Date:
1843-1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The actual process of nutrition in the living structure demonstrated by the microscope; and the renewal of the tissues and secretions, with the phenomena and products of inflammation, illustrated and established / [William Addison]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    animalcules of the common earth worm (Lumbricus terrestris); and from their size they are admirably adapted to display the singular effects of liquor potassae. Mingled with these objects are numerous cells, containin'!- in their interior molecules and granules, in the greatest state of activity ; they are continually shifting their position within the cell, presenting exactly the same appearance as those molecules and granules which I observed in the colourless corpuscles or cells from the case of catarrh before related. On the application of liquor potassae all these molecules and granules were quickly ejected, and their restlessness and motions, after they were discharged from the cell, were very singular ; but not more remarkable than the motions of the molecules discharged from the lymph globules of the frog, or from the colourless blood corpuscles and pus corpuscles of man.5’* Experiment. (Ce//s of Lumbricus terrestris.)—A drop of water mingled with the above mentioned objects is rendered white and milky ; but when well mixed with liquor potassae, it becomes transparent, glairy, and mucus-like; and when dilute acetic acid is afterwards added, there is the same fibrous appear- ance as is presented in ordinary mucus from this reagent. Similar experiments have been made with the colourless blood cells of the earth worm, and with the red-blood cells of the frog, with similar results. Now, all these colourless and coloured cells are administering to the functions of animal life, in * “ Experimental Researches, loc. cit., pp. 275,*&c.