DEGENERATION (Fr. d(Wneration, from Lat. degenerate, to depart from one's race, to degenerate, from de, away + genus. stock. race, family). In pathology, a term applied to certain tissue changes of a retrogressive character, which are associated with various conditions resulting from age, malnutrition. infectious dis eases, poisons, etc. The degenerative process may assume several forms which have beed named from their special characteristics. Paren ehymatous degeneration, or albuminous degenera tion. is the type which most often accompanies the infectious diseases. While any of the cells of the body may be affected, those of the liver. kidney, and the epithelial cells of the mucous membranes, suffer most frequently; the cells become swollen, more granular than normal, and may go on to disintegration. Fatty degeneration is the term used to designate a process by which the protoplasm of the cells of various organs is converted into fat droplets. Under certain
conditions tissues, especially those in the walls of blood - vessels. are converted into a homo geneous transparent substance: this form of degeneration is called either hyaline degeneration or amyloid degeneration. according to the micro chemical reaction of the substance. The term mucous degeneration is used to designate a form of degeneration affecting both cells and inter cellular substance. and in which the protoplasm is transformed into a translucent substance containing mucin. A similar condition in which the new material is more dense and firm is known as colloid degeneration. Under certain granules of lime cells are deposited in the tissues. and may be so abundant as to make the tissue hard and brittle, or even bony: the condition thus produced is known as calcareous or infiltration.