Though originally intended to deal with Pathological changes only, the Thesis is chiefly a study of the Development of the Malpighian bodies of the
Kidney. A knowledge of their minute Anatomy and
Development was necessary to follow out certain
changes that occur in disease, and on looking up the
literature of the subject I was surprised to find
that very little was known about their Development,
that most of the work had been done by German observers, and that their results were very contradictory.
I had the good fortune to secure a number of Human
Foetal kidneys, and have examined them very carefully.
The results are here stated, and a record of many of
the different stages in Development are shown in
Photomicrographs. This is as far as I am aware the
first time that photographs of the subject have appeared, the usual diagramatic drawings which are given as illustrations being made to order to suit any
theory. The Development of the Malpighian bodies
included a number of other closely related structures
which could not be omitted; the Development of the
Malpighian bodies really constitutes the greater part
in the History of the Development of the whole Kidney.
In addition a Section has been added on Compariative Anatomy and Embryology in which the Malpighian bodies of the different orders of Vertebrates are
compared, A few of the more interesting types are
recorded among the Illustrations.
The Section on Pathology had to be shortened and
a quantity of experimental work omitted