Part 70

Properties of animal life.—Acute sensibility of the mucous system.—Influence of habit upon this property.—Consequences of this remark.—Mucous sensibility in inflammations. 111

Properties of organic life.—Organic sensibility and insensible contractility are very evident here.—Why.—Consequences as it respects diseases.—Varieties of these properties.-Species of sensible organic contractility in the mucous texture. 114

Sympathies.—How we shall divide them. 117

Active Sympathies.—Example of these sympathies for each vital property. 118

Passive Sympathies.—The predominant ones are those of insensible organic contractility.—Why. 120

Character of the vital properties.—Vital activity of this system.—Its varieties.—Consequences as it regards diseases.—Remarks upon the stomachic sympathies. 123

ARTICLE FOURTH.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE MUCOUS SYSTEM.

I. State of the Mucous System in the First Age.

It follows the state of the organs to which it belongs.—Delicacy of the papillæ.—The mucous redness is then deeper.—Sudden change at birth.—Why.—Phenomenon of puberty. 125

II. State of the Mucous System in the After Ages.

Its phenomena in the adult.—Its phenomena in old age. 129

SEROUS SYSTEM.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.

ARTICLE FIRST.

OF THE EXTENT, FORMS AND FLUIDS OF THE SEROUS SYSTEM.

General arrangement of its membranes.—Of the serous surface considered in general.—Every serous membrane is a sac without an opening. 131

I. Free Surface of the Serous Membranes.

It is smooth and polished.—This attribute is foreign to compression.—This surface insulates the organs to which the serous surfaces belong.—Its influence upon the motion of these organs.—Adhesions of the serous surfaces.—Their division. 134

II. Adhering Surface of the Serous System.

Means of union.—The serous membranes often change relations with their organs.—This is owing to the laxity of the adhesions.—Adhesions more close. 140

III. Serous Fluids.

Their quantity.—Varieties of this quantity.—Experiments.—Morbid varieties.—Nature of these fluids. 142

ARTICLE SECOND.

ORGANIZATION OF THE SEROUS SYSTEM.

The serous membranes have but one layer.—Its colour.—Its thickness. 144

I. Cellular nature of the Serous Texture.

Proofs of this cellular nature.—Experiments by maceration, ebullition, desiccation, stewing and putrefaction.—Differences between the cellular and serous textures. 145