by first intention. The white blood corpuscles were permanently
increased. The proportion of white to red was 1:120 to 1:130,
the average number of red was 3,000,000. Our own examination of
preparations obtained some two months after the operation,
shewed a distinct lymphaemia, and also a preponderance of the
larger lymph cells. The eosinophil and mast cells were plainly
increased. We are unable to give more exact numerical data, as
the preparations sent to us were not spread with sufficient
regularity.

From the second case, which was also operated upon for
enlargement of the spleen, we unfortunately only obtained much
damaged preparations. Nevertheless so much could with certainty
be established--that there was no considerable increase of the
lymphocytes. The eosinophils on the contrary were increased
distinctly, the mast cells to a lesser extent. It is probable
that the increase of both of the latter kinds of cell was not a
consequence of the extirpation of the spleen alone, but rather
the expression of the reactive changes, which had already begun
before the operation, from the exclusion of the splenic
function.

Cases of splenectomy of this kind are transitional to the chronic
diseases of the spleen. The latter present great difficulties, for one
never knows how far in the most chronic diseases the other organs are
damaged or influenced by the general illness.

An increase of the lymphocytes, so long as an affection of the lymphatic
glands may be excluded, should be referred to functional exclusion of
the spleen.

On the other hand, an increase of eosinophil cells associated with a
chronic tumour of the spleen, is analogous to Kurloff's secondary
reaction of the bone-marrow. Such cases are frequently found in the
literature. For instance Mueller and Rieder bring forward three cases of
splenic tumour caused by congenital syphilis, cirrhosis of the liver,
neoplasm in the cranial cavity, and in which the numbers of the
eosinophils amounted to 12.3%, 7.0%, 6.5% respectively. In three cases
of acute splenic tumour in typhoid fever the figure 0.31% with a maximum
of 0.82%, was found. These authors have already raised the question
"whether the increase of the eosinophil cells is connected with the
splenic tumour or the bone-marrow? Perhaps the functional activity of
the latter is vicariously raised to meet the more or