On the corpuscles of the blood / by Martin Barry. Pts. [I]-III.

  • Martin Barry
Date:
1840-1841
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the corpuscles of the blood / by Martin Barry. Pts. [I]-III. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    28. “ Muscular fibre,” says Valentin, “ arises***out of the jelly-like formative mass ***in the following manner: Long before separate muscular fibres are perceived, the globules of the primitive mass are seen arranged in longitudinal lines.***The granules [“ globules”] now appear to approach one another, and in single places entirely—in others only on one side—to coalesce and unite into one transparent mass. By this means there arise threads, which in many places have a necklace-like appearance ; in others are less distinctly notched, and often notched only on one side, the other side being straighter. Subsequently the thread loses every trace of granule [“ globule”] or division, and becomes uniformly transparent, defined, and cylindrical.###Thus the muscular fibre continues when normal until about the period of the sixth month [of the foetus], except that its substance becomes somewhat more opake and its cohesion closer. In the sixth month I have recently discerned on these fibres the first traces of transverse striae, and hence (having now at command one of the best instruments of Plossl) must retract the statement I formerly made, that these transverse striae are entirely absent in the embryo. These transverse striae however, during the whole of foetal life are situated further apart, and discernible only with a clear light and high magnifying power.***From the period at which the muscular threads become transpa- rent and uniform, there accumulate between them masses of round or roundish glo- bules, which are somewhat larger than the blood-corpuscles—viz. 0-000407 Paris line. ***The muscular fibres are formed first, and subsequently their fibrillse [contained within the fibres].***The younger the embryo is, the coarser are the elementary parts [of muscle] *#tWe have above remarked that from the period at which the muscular fibre becomes uniform and transparent, globules accumulate in large number. Sub- sequently they diminish, and with the jelly-like mass—which holds them together—- enter into the formation of the mucous tissue. This however unites—not the fibrillse but—the fibres-}-.” 29. More recently, and with reference to the doctrine of “ cells,” the same physio- logist has communicated his views in the following words : “ As soon as these [muscular fibres] appear in the fibrous form, there are seen in them round, very pale nuclei, which lie near together. From this it may be inferred, that here the cells arrange themselves likewise longitudinally, but coalesce immediately with one another without being drawn out into fibrillse. This conjecture is confirmed by the fact that such an embryonic muscular fibre presents itself perfectly pectinate, as a conferva- fibril with a nucleus in each cell. This pectinate object, however, I have not hitherto so observed, as to have convinced myself of its complete natural conformity. There usually occur two circumstances which either call it forth or make it more distinct: 1. There follow the regular indentations of the muscular fibres, so that between two there always lies a regular nucleus. 2. On the transverse lines, which call forth the pectinate divisions, there lie very minute molecules with opake contours and a f Entwickelungsgeschichte des Menschen mit vergleichender Riicksicht der Entwickelung der Saugethiere und Vogel, 1835, pp. 267. 268.