Some histological changes in chronic bronchitis and asthma.

groups was hypertonicity of the bronchial wall, which was frequent in the asthmatics and absent in the chronic bronchitics. Mucus was scanty and viscous in the asthmatics and more abundant and watery in the chronic bronchitics. Hypersecretion of mucus occurred in both groups. In asthma the mucous hyperplasia affected chiefly the goblet cells. In chronic bronchitis the deeper bronchial glands were affected as well as the goblet cells. In asthma the mucus stained predominantly with the periodic-acid Schiff technique, and was thus presumed to contain much neutral mucopolysaccharide. In chronic bronchitis the mucus was strongly alcian blue positive and was thought to consist largely of acid mucopolysaccharide. Thickening of the basement membrane