THEIR MICRO-CHEMICAL REACTIONS. 67 



slightest pressure into greenish yellow, somewhat curled rods, 

 which nowhere exhibit, with certainty, even a trace of a nucleus. 



The prolonged action of a dilute solution of soda loosens, softens, 

 and finally dissolves the bundles of fibres, leaving only fine long 

 threads, \\hich belong to the nuclear fibres. At the same time 

 a number of coarse granules of a very irregular form are brought 

 into view, whose chemical nature could not be closely investigated. 

 There were no nuclei to be detected. 



A concentrated solution of potash, after prolonged action, causes 

 the almost total disappearance of the individual fibres, there 

 remaining only rows of granules. On the addition of water, every- 

 thing is dissolved excepting some minute filaments (in the same 

 manner as by the action of dilute soda). 



The fibre-cells undergo no visible alteration in a solution of 

 moderately concentrated carbonate of potash. 



On digesting a carefully prepared and well-washed portion of the 

 muscular coat of the stomach of a pig for a prolonged period (from 

 18 hours to 3 days) in a solution of 6 parts of nitrate of potash 

 in 100 parts of water, at a temperature of 30 or 40, no essential 

 change will be observed in the individual smooth muscular 

 fibres ; as in the case of carbonate of potash, they simply swell, 

 and become somewhat more translucent. No nuclei can be dis- 

 covered in either case. The muscular substance itself becomes 

 somewhat harder. 



Millon's reagent (see vol. i, p. 328) colours the whole mass of 

 the bundles intensely red, but when seen under the microscope the 

 individual fibre-cells do not appear very highly coloured. 



An aqueous solution of iodine causes the fibre-cells to shrivel 

 up, renders the nuclei less distinct, and imparts a yellow colour 

 to the whole mass. The nuclei cannot be brought into view even 

 by the repeated application of a dilute acid. 



The bundles of fibrils become gelatinous in concentrated 

 phosphoric acid. Under the microscope, fibrillation is still per- 

 ceptible, which, however, becomes more distinct on the addi- 

 tion of water to the object. Here, too, we have a granular matter 

 which does not, however, appear to contain a nucleus. The 

 granules precisely resemble those which are brought into view on 

 the addition of water, after the fibres have been treated with con- 

 centrated hydrochloric acid or a potash solution. 



If the middle coat of the arteries, or the muscular coat of the 

 stomach or intestinal canal, be treated with concentrated acetic 

 acid, after having been cut in shreds and carefully rinsed, and 



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