BURSJE MUCOSA. 237 



lost its polish, became soft and pulpy, like a joint exposed to 

 maceration in a dissecting room, and melted off, flake after flake, 

 till the compact layer of bone covering the cells of the epiphysis 

 below was exposed to view. This layer was at first dark 

 colored, but soon became red and sensitive to the touch. 

 Small firm whitish conical elevations, appeared over its surface ; 

 these grew by degrees into strong and healthy granulations, to 

 which the inner face of the flaps, at the end of six weeks were 

 firmly connected, leaving the patient a solid and serviceable 

 stump, upon which she is able to bear her weight with the 

 ordinary wooden support. The patient suffered none of the 

 constitutional irritation common to synovial inflammation and 

 it would be difficult to believe from the progress of this case, 

 and analogous ones reported by other surgeons, either that the 

 synovial membranes are spread over the cartilages of joints, 

 or that the cartilages themselves are vascular. 



Of Bur see Mucosa, 



There are certain membranous cavities called bursae mucosae 

 which are found between tendons and bones, near the joints, 

 and in other places also, which have so strong a resemblance to 

 the synovial membrane, and are so intimately connected with 

 some of the articulations, that they ought now to be mentioned. 



They are formed of a thin dense membrane, and are attached 

 to the surrounding parts by cellular substance ; they contain 

 a fluid like the synovia ; and sometimes there are masses of 

 fat, which, although exterior to them, appear to project into 

 their cavities. 



There is, commonly, a thin cartilage, or tough membrane, 

 between them and the bone on which they are placed. 



They often communicate with the cavities of joints, without 

 inducing any change in the state of the part. 



As they are always situated between parts that move upon 

 each other, there is the greatest reason to believe that they are 

 intended to lessen friction.* 



* For further information respecting this subject, as well as joints in general, 

 the reader is referred to a Description of the Bursa; Mucosae of the Human 

 Body, by Alexander Monro ; to whom the world is so much indebted for the 

 elucidation of many important points in anatomy and physiology. 



