ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



j4n Abstract of Djk. Blale's Lectures ow ^Ae Structure a7i(l 

 Growth of the Tissues of the Human Body. Delivered 

 at the Royal College of Physicians,, April — May, 1861. 



Lectures VI a?s'd VII. 



the connective tissue. 



Dr. Beale commenced his lectures on the connective tis- 

 sues with a description of ordinary tendon. This structure, 

 he observed, is generally subjected to examination after having 

 been dried, or partially dried, and then remoistened with 

 fluid, but it has been found that these processes cannot be 

 carried out without some considerable alterations in the cha- 

 racters of the tissue being produced. The specimens referred 

 to have therefore been prepared without any desiccation at all. 

 They have been soaked in carmine solution, and afterwards 

 mounted in glycerine, according to the method alreadv de- 

 scribed. 



In the tendon of the foetus, the so-called nuclear fibres are 

 much closer to each other than in the child, and the prp'icr- 

 tion of tendon (formed material) to the nuclei is considerably 

 less in the imperfectly-developed than in the fully-grown ten- 

 don. These facts were illustrated by specimens. Dr. Beale 

 then proceeded to ask what is the nature of these so-called 

 nuclei and nucleated fibres ? If the tendon be stretched they 

 form narrow lines, and the very elongated nuclei seem to be 

 connected together by very delicate lines, which are often 

 granular. If the specimen be roughly handled, several nu- 

 clei with pieces of fibrous tissue may be detached, and they 

 often assume an angular form with projecting processes. If, 

 on the other hand, they be stretched laterally, the nuclei 

 become very wide, and assume an oval form. 



Longitudinal lines are seen in the oval ' nuclei,^ and these 

 are caused by a tendency in the germinal matter to split in the 

 longitudinal direction, or result from peculiar creasings or 

 markings, which, when fully formed, give rise to the fibrous 



VOL. II. NEW SER. A 



