Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A text-book of pathology / by Alfred Stengel. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.
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![part may present slight areas of necrosis with reactive liypcrernia and inliamniation beneath and around them, or deep eschars, vesicles, or large bullte. In the process of healing extensive scars may ibrm, and these may be serious in their ejects, as in the case of strictures of the esophagus. Organic Poisons; Parenchyma-poisons.—This large group in- cludes many metallic compounds that have a local corrosive or escliarotic effect, but which may gain entrance to the blood and cause extensive organic lesions. It also includes poisons of vege- table origin and products of bacterial growth. In general these poisons have a similar action. The kidneys and the mucous mem- brane of the intestines are especially active in their elimination and suffer most seriously. Degenei'ations of the epithelial cells of various sorts ar-e met with, such as nuclear degenerations, coagulation necrosis, fatty degeneration, and even calcification. The clianges may be diffuse or may be scattered in small foci. In the latter case small areas of granular appearance, having a lighter color than the surrounding tissues, are seen; and on staining the cells are found to color poorly or not at all, the nuclei often show- ing this change first. Nuclear degenerations (fragmentation, hyper- chromatosis, etc.) are observed, and in some instances marked fatty degeneration of the cells occurs. Around the foci of degeneration there is more or less round-cell infiltration (jjolymorphonuclear cells), and to a less degree the degenerated area itself is infiltrated. In cases in which diffuse change occurs there is equally diffuse round-cell infiltration. After the acute process has subsided hyperplasia of the connective tissues may occur and the affected part becomes more or less sclerotic or indurated. Regeneration of the parenchyma-cells is less apt to occur. Some of the more important of the poisons of the group may now be separately considered. Phosphorus is a poison of considerable activity in the yellow form ; the red variety is inert. Workmen in match factories are the most frequent victims of this form of intoxication, but occa- sionally accidental poisoning by swallowing occurs. In the latter th(; manifestations are acute. The pathologic changes ai'e catarrhal inflammation of the gastro-intestinal mucous membrane and more or less widespread fatty degeneration of various tissues and organs. The liver suffers most severely, being enlarged, light yellow or reddish in coloi', and friable or doughy. Microscopically the liver- cells are found extensively degenerated (fatty). Similar but less marked fatty degeneration is found in the renal tubules, gastro- intestinal e])ithelia, and heart-muscle, and in the intima of the blood-vessels. Extensive jaundice is frequent and numerous hemorrhages may occur. In the more chronic poisoning of matcli- makers the poison enters through the mouth and res]Mratory pas- sages, being ins])ired as dust. (.Chronic catarrhal inHannnation of](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21981668_0027.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
