Part 67

VOLUME THIRD.

MUSCULAR SYSTEM OF ORGANIC LIFE.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.

ARTICLE FIRST.

FORMS OF THE MUSCULAR SYSTEM OF ORGANIC LIFE.

PAGE

Curved direction of the fibres.—They do not arise from the fibrous system.—Varieties of the muscular forms, according to the organs. 4

ARTICLE SECOND.

ORGANIZATION OF THE MUSCULAR SYSTEM OF ORGANIC LIFE.

General difference of organization from the preceding muscles. 5

I. Peculiar Texture.

General arrangement of the muscular fibre.—Analogy with the preceding and difference. 6

II. Common Parts.

Cellular Texture.—Blood vessels.—Nerves of the ganglions and of the brain.—Proportion of each class. 8

ARTICLE THIRD.

PROPERTIES OF THE MUSCULAR SYSTEM OF ORGANIC LIFE.

I. Properties of Texture.

Extensibility.—Particular character of this property in the organic muscles.—In aneurisms of the heart and in pregnancy, it is not the extensibility that is brought into action.—Remarks upon this subject. 10

Contractility.—It is in proportion to extensibility.—The substances contained in the hollow muscles are their antagonists.—Remarks. 14

II. Vital Properties.

Sensibility.—Of the lassitude of the organic muscles.—Remarks upon hunger. 15

Animal Contractility.—It is nothing in these muscles.—Different, experiments.—Observations.—Of the muscles in part voluntary and in part organic.—Experiments.—Remarks upon the bladder, rectum, &c.—Absence of the nervous influence upon the organic muscles. 17

Organic Properties.—General Remarks. 24

Of sensible organic contractility considered under the relation of the stimuli. 25

Natural stimuli.—Different observations.—Remarks upon the fluids and solids.—Influence of the quality and quantity of the fluids upon the hollow muscles. ib.

Artificial stimuli.—Action of these stimuli.—Different modes of action.—Limits of the horny hardening and vital contraction. 28

Of sensible organic contractility, considered in relation to the organs. 31

First variety. Diversity of the muscular texture.—Each muscle is particularly in relation with some determinate substance.—Application of this principle to the natural and foreign fluids. ib.