9.2 DR. H. P. BOWDITCH. 



fascia, and the latter stretched and relaxed by passive move- 

 ments 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 eflfect. 



The alternate widening and narrowing of the lymph 

 spaces between the tendinous fibres seems therefore to cause 

 the absorption of the lymph from the neighbouring parts as 

 well as its onAvard flow into the lymph vessels, the valves in 

 these latter preventing, of course, a flow in the opposite 

 direction . 



In this function of the fascise we may perhaps find an 

 explanation of the success of the Swedish movement-cure 

 and of all methods of treatment which involve passive move- 

 ments of the limbs, the removal of effete matters from the 

 tissues being favoured by an increased flow of lymph. 



The turpentine solution of alcannine has several advan- 

 tages for the injection of lymph sjjaces. Since turpentine 

 does not mix with water, there is no possibility of the 

 colouring matter being diff'used 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 jaass for a short distance into the lymph 

 spaces, but a large portion of it will form a sort of extrava- 

 sation in the neighbourhood 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 dry, 

 still stretched upon the neck of the bottle. In drying, the 

 tendinous fibres seem to shrink together, causing a dilata- 

 tion of the spaces between them, in consequence of which 

 the extravasated fluid is sucked onwards into the finest 

 lymph spaces. In this way tAvo, three, or even four layers 

 of lymph spaces lying between as many different layers of 

 tendinous fibres may be clearly demonstrated. The dried 

 fascia may be mounted in Canada balsam between glass plates, 



