OF ARTS AND SCIENCES : FEBRUARY 11, 1873. 509 



solution, the extract of alcanna root, were then placed upon this sur- 

 face, and the fascia alternately stretched and relaxed by partially ex- 

 hausting the air from the funnel and letting it return again. In this 

 way the coloring matter was made to penetrate into the spaces between 

 the fibres of the fascia, and to enter the lymph vessels on the opposite 

 side. The same result was obtained when the coloring matter was in- 

 jected between the muscle and the fascia, and the latter stretched and 

 relaxed by passive movements of the limb. Experiments on animals 

 where the flow of lymph through the thoracic duct was measured, 

 showed that passive movements of the limbs increased this flow in a 

 very striking manner. Galvanization of the muscles had a similar but 

 less powerful effect. 



The alternate widening and narrowing of the lymph spaces between 

 the tendinous fibres seems therefore to cause the absorption of the 

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

 lymph vessels, the valves in these latter preventing, of course, a flow 

 in the opposite direction. 



In this function of the, fascia? we may perhaps find an explanation of 

 the success of the Swedish movement-cure and of all methods of treat- 

 ment which involve passive movements of the limbs, the removal of 

 effete matters from the tissues being favored by an increased flow of 

 lymph. 



The turpentine solution of alcannine has several advantages for the 

 injection of lymph spaces. Since turpentine does not mix with water, 

 there is no possibility of the coloring matter being diffused by imbibition 

 through the tissues, and thus obscuring the anatomical relations of the 

 parts. The same immiscibility prevents also all swelling or shrinking 

 of the tissues as a consequence of the injection. This is always to be 

 feared when watery or alcoholic fluids are used. 



A very good method of injecting the lymph spaces is as follows : 

 Let a piece of fascia, carefully freed from loose connective tissue, be 

 stretched somewhat tightly over the neck of a bottle. The point of a 

 hypodermic syringe filled with the turpentine solution must be then 

 passed obliquely into the fascia, care being taken that the point does 

 not penetrate entirely through. If the fluid is then forced from the 

 syringe, it will pass for a short distance into the lymph spaces, but a 

 large portion of it will form a sort of an extravasation in the neighborhood 

 of the point of injection. Several such partial injections may be made 

 near the border of the piece of fascia, which must then be allowed to 



