Part 49

Action of different agents upon the arterial texture.—Desiccation.—Putrefaction.—Maceration.—Stewing.—Action of the acids, the alkalies, &c. 308

Membrane common to the system with red blood.—Its differences in the different regions.—Of the fluid which moistens it.—Its relations.—Its nature.—Its singular disposition to ossification.—Peculiar phenomena and laws of this ossification.—Pathological consequences. 311

II. Parts common to the Organization of the Vascular System with Red Blood.

Blood vessels.—Their arrangement.—They do not appear to go to the internal membrane. 317

Cellular texture.—There are two species of it.—Of that which unites the artery to the neighbouring organs.—Of that which is peculiar to it, and which has a peculiar nature.—The arterial fibres are remarkable for having none of this texture between them.—Consequences. 318

Exhalants and absorbents.—There does not appear to be absorption in the arteries.—Experiments. 321

Nerves.—Of the cerebral ones.—Of the organic ones.—Their proportion.—Their course, &c. 324

ARTICLE FOURTH.

PROPERTIES OF THE VASCULAR SYSTEM WITH RED BLOOD.

I. Physical Properties.

Remarkable elasticity.—Its use.—Its differences from contractility of texture. 322

II. Properties of Texture.

Extensibility.—1st, of that in the axis; 2d, of that in the diameter. 324

Contractility.—Of that in the axis.—Of that in the diameter.—Its differences from irritability.—Remarks upon this contractility.—Practical consequences. 326

III. Vital Properties. Properties of Animal Life.

Sensibility.—Experiments upon this property. 329

Contractility.—It is nothing. ib.

Properties of organic life.—Sensible organic Contractility.—It is nothing.—Different experiments to prove it.—Mistakes concerning this property. 330

Insensible organic contractility.—How its influence must be understood.—Vital activity is but slightly marked in the arteries.—General consequences. 332

Remarks upon the causes of the motion of the red blood.—These causes appear to be foreign to the arteries. 335

Influence of the heart in the motion of red blood.—Different proofs of this influence.—Morbid phenomena.—Different experiments.—Observations.—General Consequences. 336

Of the limits of the action of the heart.—They appear to be at the place of the change of the red blood into black.—Increasing influence of the arteries upon the red blood in the neighbourhood of the capillaries. 342

Phenomena of the impulse of the heart.—The motion of the red blood is sudden and instantaneous.—Proofs.—The contraction of the arteries does not push the blood.—From what it arises.—The causes of delay are nothing.—General remarks. 334

Remarks upon the pulse.—The arterial locomotion has a great part in it.—Of the accessory causes.—Of the varieties of the pulse.—General reflections. 348

Sympathies.—They are in general rare in the arteries.—Why. 352

ARTICLE FIFTH.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE VASCULAR SYSTEM WITH RED BLOOD.

I. State of this System in the Fœtus.