Buckmaster's Elements of animal physiology / by John Angell.

  • Angell, John
Date:
1866
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Buckmaster's Elements of animal physiology / by John Angell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    355/384 (page 343)
    language termed adhesions, which seriously interfere with the freedom of motion natural to these parts. When the serous fluid is secreted in morbid quantities, it collects in the cavities, constituting dropsy, water on the head, &c. Serous Fluid is a thin, transparent, colourless, albuminous fluid, resembling but thinner than the serum of the blood, which is secreted and effused on the surface of the serous membranes for reducing friction between their surfaces. Synovial Membranes form similar but smaller dosed sacs than those formed by the serous membranes, which they much resemble. The walls of the synovial sacs line the two ends of the bones of the moveable joints, and are reflected back so as also to line the fibrous capsule passing from one bone to the other. The interior of the sac is abundantly supplied with a fluid termed synovia, which lubricates the joint and lessens friction. The structure of the synovial mem- branes resembles that of the serous membranes. Synovia is a transparent, yellowish, glairy, viscid, albuminous fluid, resembling but thicker than white of egg. It lubricates the joints and some tendons, to allow them to glide or play over each other with the least possible friction. It resembles the serum of the blood, but is thicker.—(See page 282.) Mucous Membranes are somewhat complex structures. They consist of—i, an exterior layer of compact or consolidated areolar tissue, continuous with the ordinary subjacent areolar tissue, by which it is attached to the adjacent surfaces : this layer is well supplied with bloodvessels, though but sparingly with nerves; 2, a middle layer of structureless basement membrane; 3. an epithelial layer, on its inner or free surface, consisting of a single or multiple layer of epithelial cells. They are moistened by mucus, and possess the ordinary physical qualities of areolar tissue.—(See page 223.)