Observations on the minute structure and mode of contraction of voluntary muscular fibre : being the abstract of a paper read before the Royal Medical Society, Edinburgh, December 15th, 1848 / by W. Murray Dobie.

  • Dobie, William M. (William Murray), 1828-1915.
Date:
[1849]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the minute structure and mode of contraction of voluntary muscular fibre : being the abstract of a paper read before the Royal Medical Society, Edinburgh, December 15th, 1848 / by W. Murray Dobie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    very difficult operation. Mr. Lealand the optician seems to have almost completely monopolized this branch of minute dissection, as nearly the whole of the best preparations extant are from his hands. I am not aware that he has yet made known his mode of procedure to the ])ublic. If a muscular fibre of the salmon be used, it is in general not very difficult to separate the fibrillar in water, Allowieg it to remain in moderately strong spirit for a short time, not only re- moves the oil-globules from around the fibre, but greatly facili- tates the dissection ; it may then be mounted in the usual way, in spirit, or what perhaps answers better, in glycerine diluted with about three times its bulk of water. . The most characteristic specimens are obtained with greatest ease from the frog, the size of the fibres rendering them very easy to manipulate. Allow the leg of a frog stripped of integument to remain in moderately strong spirit for about two hours, then commence the dissection with extremely fine needles set in long handles. The lai'gest fibres should be selected. After a few trials the rudest operator can scarcely fail to separate the fibrillae. The muscular fibres of the skate, treated in the same manner, afford easily-dissected and most characteristic examples of mus- cular fibrillae. EXPLANATION OF PLATE VII. Fig. 1. ab cd, four figures of fibrill^ after Muys. — 2. A fibre covered with cellular membrane at the upper part, cross- striated and splitting up into fibrillae at one end : after Fontana. — 3. Diagram of fibrillae after Bowman. — 4. Diagram to illustrate the views of Sharpey, Lealand and Cai-penter: a, two fibrils united; b, single fibril, with each sarcal particle ha- ving a dark central and clear outer part. — 5. Diagram of two fibrillae to illustrate the views of Mr. Erasmus Wil- son : a, usual appearance of fibrillae; b, a very much stretched fibril to show the dark and clear spaces, each divided into four. — 6. Diagram to show the fibrillae in the distinct and superficial focus : a, fibrils in distinct focus; b, fibrils in superficial focus from the frog. — 7. Diagram of two fibrils from the lobster: a, fresh fibril much stretched, showing scalloped edges of clear space ; b, similar fibril unstretched, showing clear space apparently dark from its nar- rowness. — 8. Diagram to illustrate a membrane observed among the fibrillae : a, membrane as seen in frog and salmon ; b, similar membrane observed among fibrillae of the muscle of skate, perfectly fresh. — 9. General appearance of a dissection of muscular fibre from the frog, magnified about 500 diameters.