Spiral Structure of Muscle. 97 



the annular arrangement of cell-germs in fig. 24, b, c, d. Of 

 such rings of cell-germs, two are sometimes met with, connected 

 like two links of a chain, fig. 25. Let the diagram fig. 26 c 

 represent a pile of such pairs of connected rings. Now rings 

 such as those in fig. 24 are seen to pass into the state at h in 

 the same figure. And this change occurring in each ring of the 

 pile of pairs of rings, fig. 26 c, with a uniting at the extremities 

 of rings lying one upon another, would produce the twin or 

 double spiral d in the same figure*. Nature, it may be objected, 

 is a more skilful architect. She does not first form rings in 

 order afterwards to divide them and unite their extremities in 

 another way. All is from the first arranged in spiral order. 

 Without denying this, and fully admitting that there is from 

 the fii'st a tendency to arrangement in spiral order, the author 

 still maintains that rings of cell-germs are constantly met with ; 

 and that since it is so ordered that spirals shall arise by the 

 union of separate cells, it is in perfect keeping with the form of 

 the cytoblast (fig. 24 a), that the germs of those cells when first 

 seen should be arranged in the form of rings. (It must not be 

 forgotten that each of the rings entering into the formation of 

 the spiral has its centre of hyaline, whence the cell-germs of the 

 next generation of spirals. See fig. 13.) 



That which in nutrition is ascribed exclusively to the fibrin of 

 the lymph (and which probably corresponds to the author's hya- 

 line), he believes to be derived from the blood-corpuscles them- 

 selves. And it is his opinion, that in the coagtUation of the 

 blood Nature gives us an example of the coagulation of the 

 blood-corpuscles; for, as he showed in 1842, many fibres arise 

 through coagulation within those coiyuscles ; whereby the latter 

 either pass entirely into fibres, as in the cytoblast blood-corpus- 

 cles of the Mammalia, or the coagulation takes place within 

 blood-cells, as in the other Vertebrata. 



As already said, the reproduction of muscle seems to take 

 place by a process not differing essentially from that which 

 formed it, a process of division and subdivision of the gei'ms of 

 cells. And what are these germs of cells ? They consist of 

 nothing h^ss than that wondrous substance hyaline, the unceasing 

 maintenance of which the author believes to be the main purpose 

 in the formation and division of cells. Each central row of cell- 

 germs within tlie windings of the spiral threads is really an axis- 

 cylinder of hyaline; and when this divides, there arises a double 



* [Or su])posc a single pile of such bodies as that at h in fig. 24. The 

 union of tlieir extremities would i)roduce a single spiral ; and longitudinal 

 division of this single spiral would produce a dotdjle one.] 



rhil May. S. 4. Vol. 4. No. 23. Aug. 1852. 11 



