Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

certain it is that there is not a single moving fibre in the whole body in which it may not be found - even in the hard Substance of the bones it has been demonstrated to exist and though the humours of the Eye have been supposed destitute of it yet there ^is much Reason to suspect it even here - indeed it appears extremely probable that at least every part of the Solids is furnished with if not formed by it - the connection of parts renders its presence necessary, for every fibre must stand in need of one other Substance to [?] its connection with these then which enter into the Composition of the various parts, in where we are able to separate the soft parts of the body it is easily discovered that it is the cellular Tissue that answers this purpose in the Bones indeed we find that by Calcination the fibres lose their Cohesion but this by no Means destroys the Hypotheses, for admitting that the principle of Union is contained in the Glue - it is plain that the same effect will [?] from this Operation whether it be in Consequence of its dissipating the unorganized Glue, or the same Glue formed into cellu= lar Membrane that this latter is as easily destroyed by Calcination as the former is sufficiently apparent - It therefore appears to me exceedingly probable [?] when the unorganized Glue serves the purpose of forming the first and most simple animal fibre. there these fibres

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Lect. 6

resembling Matter. After long Sores, when cica= trised, the Skin is not so loose, or is contracted, because the Cellular Membrane is Contracted from Inflamm= ation, there is a Wasting thereof, & also oftentimes it ad= heres to the Bone

Of the Fat

The Nature of Fat is different in different Parts, in gen= eral it is divided into Masses, the Partitions are more me= mbranes, the Lobes or Masses more oily, these are unit= ed & vascular, the Fat is strained off from the Blood by Vessels for that purpose, & then is lodged in the Cellular Mem= brane. Boerhaave was of Opinion, that the quick Spread= ing of the Veneral Poison all over the Body, was by its Affecting the Fat, which was in the Cells communicat= ing with one another. It will increase & decrease at a cer= tain Time, & upon particular Occasions will be absorbed. D^r. Hunter thinks, that in the Cellular Substance, there is a Glandular Apparatus for the Secretion, Absorption & Lodgement of the Oil in particular Bladders or Cells, which are small & disposed thro' the Cellular Membrane, & from hence the Absorbing Vessels are going off & that little Bags do not communicate. This Opinion is probable from its Analogy to Marrow, which is made up of a Number of transparent Bodies, like the [?] of a Fish & then D^r.

thus formed and organized if they do not actually from the solids of the body universally yet are at least the means of connecting them in every Part with each other

Two [?] of Cellular Membrane

Though this Substance has generally posed under the name of Cellular Membrane yet ^{in many parts} it seems very little to Cohesion ^agree with the Nature of membranes for in many parts of ^some the body it is by no means to be considered as forming a coat or tunic, nor indeed it ^is completely cellular where fat is not contained

We have already mentioned that this Substance was of a different texture in different parts of the body in some parts being destitute of Fat as is the Case in the Scrotum Penis & Eyelids - in others largely abosunding with an oily Matter

in the [Corner?] of [?] ^is nothing is discoverable but a single [?] intertexture of fibres which give [?]tility and looseness in parts where there is no fat to be found the texture is very ^more similar to small Vesicles or Bladders - these [?] Circum= stances gave occasion to distinguish those two Portions and Dr Hunter has denominated the former the reticular and the latter the Adipose Membrane

These Dr Hunter considers as the two species [?] under the generical Name of Cellular Membrane

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Lect. 6

supposes that the Adipose is different from the Cellular Membrane; & that where there is Adeps, there is Apparatus for secreting the Oil, & for its Absorption as well as Lodgement - 1^st Because in some parts the Membrane is reticular, as in the Eye, Penis & Scrotum. And if we break a Piece of the [?] of an Ox, when cold, we find it mixed, with a reticular Membrane. Also the Oil in the living human Body is fluid, & we observed, that other Fluids change their Place by their Gravity, but the Oil does not from pre= ssure; nor move from Cell to Cell, therefore it is most pro= bable, that the Oil is confined in Bladders, that have no Out Lett, but the Adipose Ducts. It has been objected aga= inst this, that perhaps the Oil is too thick to pass from Cell to Cell, but this will be confuted by injecting melted Hog Lard into the Cellular Membrane of the Arm. When it is cold, we may press it up & Down. Whereas our Oil is more fluid, & yet cant be pressed up & Down, & therefore most probably is contained in particular Bladders or Cells. D^r. Haller thinks, that the Oil oozes out of the Vessels, & is accumulated in the Cellular Membrane in the Tract of the Vessels & something like this we see in the Young Epiploon & Mesentery; Bat D^r. Hunter thinks, it is not so, for there we should have the greatest Quantity near the Vascular. The Basis of Fat is cellular Membrane, the Oil

Reticular Membrane

^Formation This is that part of the cellular Membrane as it has usually been called which properly enters into the Composition of all parts of the body ^{It is made by an intertexture of the above mentioned fibres in [?]} this is found to be more considerable ^{in form of a net with own [?] between them} in the Bellies of Muscles [?] in their Tendons and for the

^{Structure continues} same Reason were abundant as to extent in all Interstices of the Muscles and it may easily ^be proved to be continuous or to communicate with its various parts by ^{the Means of the difference [?] fluids as Air & Water & [Blood?] [?] first by the Air} in the [?]

^{proved by the the [?] of various fluids from one part to another} Operation made use of by Butchers for setting off their Meat to the greatest Advantage for the Air readily [papes?] from one part to another and even penetrates between the [?] bodies of the Muscles

[?] of the cellular Membrane

^{By [Air?] [???]} It frequently happens also that this reticular [Substance?] inflated in a similar Manner even during the Continuance of Life

This effect may take place either from an external [?] or an internal Cause

^{External Causes} The External Causes are such as produce a Solution of continuity in the Skin and by this Means ^{wounds of the Skin} suffer the external Air to part into the reticular Membrane the Air from Confinement from ⁱⁿ the heat of the body [?] extremely rarefied in this Case [?] the Skin in such a Manner as [to?] totally to destroy

83

Lect 6

itself is different in different Parts. In very young Animals, as a Fetus of 4 or 5 Months, no Oil is found, it being then rather a gelatinous Substance also when Young, the Oil is lodged next to the Skin, but as we grow older, it gets more internally & more into the Interstices of Parts, hence the Reason, why in making Preparations we choose young Subjects, rather than Adults, for Adults dry greatly, unless very dropsical, & the Oil in young Children is harder - The Viscera of Children are from Fat, the [?]asareous Dropsy destroys the Fat more yⁿ. any other Disease, what was Adeps before, becomes much changed. The principal Use of the Cellular Membrane is to connect Parts, that they may not be entangled, but have some Motion on one Another, as the Muscles &^c Cellular Membrane is very Yielding, where the Parts re= quire considerable Motion, but the Bowels [?] have a very free Motion have no Cellular Membrane. The first Stratum of Cellular Membrane lies nearest the Skin, & chiefly contains the Fat, which is taken up, when we pinch the Skin, hence the Reason why Butchers follow that Practices in trying whether Cattle are fat & lean. The next Stratum is of a looser kind, & is first filled with Water in a dropsical Habit. There is a great Difference between the outward Adipose Stratum & the internal, the

every Vestige of the human form - a Puncture [?]

^{from an internal layer} The internal Causes are such as admit the air which serves the purpose of Respiration to insinuate itself into

^{wounds of the organs of Respiration} the same Substance - such are wounds of the lungs especially where there are made by ^[?] pieces of the brother Ribs for here the Air not being suffered to escape freely as it might do if there was an external Wound must [?] and distend the parts to a very great Degree ^{turn to the [?]ted Page Putrefaction} in all these Cases a puncture made in any Part of the Reticular Membrane will suffer the Wind to escape usually with a blast like that of a Balloon and the whole swelling then readily ^sometimes subsides - from [?] they are not commonly fatal because enlarging the wound

^{[?] by a wound} will usually prevent any further Insinuation of ^{give [Express?] to the} air, but in internal Cases this cannot be ^{so easily} done because it is impossible to obtain access to the injured part - vid [?] Page consequently though a great part may be [?]ated by Incisions yet [?] will be constantly insinuating itself into it

^{By Water} secondly by Water -

^{in the Anasarca} The Disease known by the name of Anasarca is properly a dropsy of the reticular Membrane & probably originating from a great Degree of Relaxation in the

^{[?] formed} small Arteries by which they their [?] are so distended as to suffer an Extravasation of the Serous part of the Blood or partly from the absorbing Vesicles loosing their specific Pores and consequently admitting the vapour or [??]

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Lect 6

the outer is much more fleshy & Substantial.

D^r. Hunter supposes, that it contains the Glandular Apparatus of Arteries to strain & Bags to lodge the Fat, tho' he wonders, he never could distinctly observe this Apparatus by Means of Microscopes, when the Fat was forming probably from their being dispersed over the Body in so irregular a Manner, but if we examine the Cellular Membrane in dropsical Patients, where the Fat is all destroyed, we shall find, that the Stratum, which is next the Skin is much dense & more compact, than in other parts. The Cellular Membrane is said to fill up the Interstices of Parts in oder to give the Body a finer figure. In some Parts Fat serves, as a Defence against Pressure, as the Soles of the Feet in the [Nates?] & Scrotum. And when we are Young the Fat is on the Outsides of the Body, probably to be a Defence from the Cold. The Use of the Animal Oil is to keep the Body warm, for in cold Climates, People are fat, in hot Climates lean, & other Animals are also lean in hot Countries, in cold Climates they grow Fat against Winter, which may depend much upon their Food. It is of Use also to keep up an equa= l Degree of Nutrition, as a constant Supply is wanted. The Oil is taken up where there is a Deficiency of Food, or in Fasting. Also it is supposed, that Oil mixes with Lymph

Matter collected in the reticular Membrane

^Abscess This is also the Seat perhaps almost universally of Inflamma= tion and Abscess - It is however seldom observed that the Matter formed in them is diffused in the reticular Substance - the

^{[?] pus not diffused} Cause is apparent - for being in a State of Inflammation Circumference of the Cavity in which the Matter is contained must adhere for the same Reason as mentioned above and thus the Communication be totally cut off -

The formation of Pus or matter has by Physicians been [?] accounted for Boerhaave with his followers have supposed that the Vessels from Obstruction are rendered perfectly impervious [?] at being thus as it were in a gangrenous state those [portions?] of the Vessels in which the Circulations had ceased, if [it?] were not [?] renewed would be dissolved by a kind of putrid fermentation and thus a mixed Mass ^[?]amed of the original solid and these fluids that might be near them - others have supposed this Matter to be secreted by glands [exit?]ing in every part and that when the fluid thus secreted by stagnat= ing become thicker and assumes the form of Pus - it appears to me most probable that by the Violence of the Inflammation the Vessels are [rup?]tured and the Serous part of blood extravasated the thinner parts being absorbed it must become thicker and be converted to pus - M Bell has made it appear doubtful whether in any [?] any other solid Parts are destroyed though it often appears to be the Case from the Cavity

In most other parts of the body however the fat is found ^not to accompany the Vessells but on the contrary is usually placed at a considerable Distance from them -

^{[Plexus?] of Arteries & Veins on the [?] of the Cells} There is indeed discoverable a network of Arteries and Veins surrounding each Cell but this by no means proves that fat is separated from the blood by transudation, for on the Supposition of a glandular appa= ratus the same [?] would be necessary

^Contents The Substance which is found to be contained in the Cells is of two fluids, one [mucous?] and the other oily - In the Omentum of a Fetus and immediately under the Skin is universally found a long Quantity of [?], and in proportion to the ^{In Infants} Age of the Subject this borders more and more upon the nature of an Oil, till at length in adults it is purely ^{In adults} oily - This Substitute for fat if it may so be called abounds most largely in young Persons near the ^external Surface of the body but as age advances, it retires to the internal parts ^{and is collected principally in their Interstices} for this Reason young Children are preferred to adults for ana= tomical [?]iations the parts being rendered more soft and flexible by the general Diffusion of the mucus throughout the Surface

^{internal Stratum under the Skin} In all subjects however the first Stratum of fat is contained immedately under the Skin and [?] for the Quantity contained here the general Proportions in other parts are usually [informed?] as from the common Experiments of Butchers by [?]ing up the Skin