ankin found a distinct progressive decrease of the pseudoeosinophil
granules on allowing the samples of blood to remain some time in the
thermostat. Further in suppurating foci in man, especially when
suppuration has lasted long, or the pus has remained for some time in
the place in question (Janowski) a rarefaction almost to complete
disappearance of the polynuclear neutrophil granules occurs, and is to
be explained by a giving up of the granulations to the exterior.

These facts and considerations, on the whole, lead then to the
conclusion, =that in general the granules of the wandering cells are
destined for excretion. This elimination of the granules is probably one
of the most important functions of the polynuclear leucocytes.=

FOOTNOTES:

[20] _Farbenanalytische Untersuchungen_ XII. _zur Geschichte der
Granula_, p. 134.

[21] _loc. cit._ pp. 5, 6.

[22] Altmann's freezing process would be similar to the advance always
insisted on by Ehrlich. It offers such great technical difficulties,
however, that it has up to now been little used.

[23] The cause of these misunderstandings is the tinctorially different
stages of development of the granules, as we have fully explained above.
How little adequate tinctorial differences by themselves are to settle
the chemical identity of a granulation, is at once evident on
consideration of the granules of other organs. No one surely would
assert, that a liver, muscle, or brain cell could occasionally secrete
trypsin, simply because the granules of the pancreas stain similarly and
analogously to those of the cells mentioned. We would here expressly
insist that we only assume a distinct character for each kind of
granulation, in the strict sense of the term for the cells of the blood,
since they possess a relatively simple function. In very complex
glandular cells, however, with various simultaneous functions, several
kinds of granules may be contained.

[24] From a paper of Calleja we learn that Ramon y Cajal recognised the
halos of the mast cells, and interpreted them in the manner we have
above. Calleja also describes these halos and the method of
demonstrating them in detail (thionin staining, and mounting the
sections in glycerine). We must mention, however, that we do not
consider this method suitable for the recognition of preformed halos,
for the reasons above mentioned.

IV. LEUCOCYTOSIS.

The problem of leucocytosis is one of the most keenly debated qu