MASSAGE. 735 



fascia, and the latter stretched and relaxed by passive movements of 

 the limb. The alternate widening and narrowing of the lymph-spaces 

 between the tendinous fibers seems, therefore, to cause absorption of 

 the lymph from the neighboring parts as well as its onward flow into 

 the lymphatic vessels." This function of the fascia certainly affords 

 a partial, important, and, so far as it goes, very satisfactory explana- 

 tion of the success of methods of treatment which involve passive 

 motion, for the removal of effete matters from the tissues is favored 

 by an increased flow of lymph. 



But Nature, as one of her regular functions, is continually per- 

 forming this experiment in the voluntary and involuntary movements 

 of the muscles. The large serous cavities, such as those of the pleura 

 and peritonaeum, are now regarded as extensive lacunae in the course of 

 the lymphatic vessels ; lymph-spaces and lymphatic vessels, communi- 

 cating with each other by means of small openings or stomata, have 

 been demonstrated in these membranes, and also the communication 

 of the lymph-spaces with the pleural and peritoneal cavities by means 

 of intercellular openings. This has been shown by injecting either of 

 these cavities with colored fluid, and, after killing the animal, examin- 

 ing the course of absorption of the fluid under the microscope. In 

 the movements of respiration, alternate expansion and contraction of 

 the chest- walls, with descent and ascent of the diaphragm, we have a 

 continual pump-like action of absorption and onward expulsion in the 

 lymph-spaces and lymphatic vessels of the pleura and peritonaeum. 

 But we must not forget that the capillary blood-vessels are similarly 

 influenced, nor should we fail to remember that osmosis may also play 

 a very important part, and that this, too, can be increased by artificial 

 pressure. We can now understand why the kings of the Sandwich 

 Islands should be lomi-lomicd after every meal in order to aid their 

 digestion, for the externally applied pressure over the abdomen would 

 force the contents of the lacteals, or lymphatics of the small intestine, 

 onward, at the same time aiding them in their absorption of digestive 

 products. 



Professor von Mosengeil, of Bonn, has made some interesting and 

 useful experiments by injecting the cavities of corresponding joints 

 of rabbits with Indian ink, and in this way proving that resorption 

 takes place from these cavities by means of lymph-spaces and stomata, 

 communicating with lymphatic vessels, and through these with lym- 

 phatic glands. With each rabbit he mass'eed one of the joints and left 

 the corresponding joint untouched. The swelling that arose from the 

 injection always disappeared rapidly under massage, and, upon exam- 

 ination of the masseed joint, it was found emptied for the most part 

 of its colored contents. Even when the examination was made shortly 

 after the injection and the use of massage, there was proportionately 

 little ink found in the joint, part of it was found upon the synovial 

 membrane ; and upon microscopic examination it was seen that the 



