LIGAMENTOUS TISSUE. 259 



ticity, which causes it to tear sooner than to stretch ; and in 

 general anasarca, its being only very partially affected, merely 

 rendered a little more moist and tumid, which even then may 

 arise from the small quantity of cellular substance in it. Many 

 parts of it, however, are unaffected in the latter way, as the 

 tendons and their sheaths. This tissue naturally contains a 

 considerable quantity of water, which it loses by exposure to 

 the air; it then is much reduced, and becomes hard and yellow- 

 ish, and is made semi-transparent by being put into spirits of 

 turpentine. 



The desmoid tissue, by being subjected to the heat of boiling 

 water, contracts, becomes more solid, and is elastic; but if it be 

 continued there, it gradually softens, becomes semi-transparent, 

 and gelatinous. The mineral acids reduce it to a pulpy state, 

 and if concentrated, will dissolve it entirely. The alkalies loosen 

 its texture, cause the fibres to separate easily, and to assume a 

 diversity of colours. It putrefies but slowly, in this respect be- 

 ing next to the cartilages. 



The strength of this texture is remarkable, and adapts it to 

 the sustaining of enormous weights; a faculty which is conti- 

 nually in requisition, both to retain the articular surfaces of 

 bones in contact, and the muscles and tendons in their places. 

 It is well known that the patella, the olecranon, and the os cal- 

 cis, break frequently before their tendinous attachments will 

 give way. In the history of punishments, where criminals 

 have been fastened to four horses, it is said that it has been found 

 necessary to use a knife to assist in their disarticulation. All 

 these phenomena occur when abrupt violence is resorted to, so 

 little are the ligaments disposed to yield; but when the causes 

 of distention act slowly and gradually, as in dropsies of the 

 joints, the fibres separate, and are sometimes completely disu- 

 nited. When ihe distending cause ceases to operate in the lat- 

 ter case, the ligaments have the power of contracting in the 

 same gradual way, and of restoring themselves. 



Some of the desmoid tissues, besides having their fibres sur- 

 rounded and their interstices occupied by cellular substance, 

 contain a very small quantity of oily or fatty matter. This 

 is not very obvious in their recent state; but, by drying them, 

 it will be seen in small quantities on their surface, like a greasy 

 exudation: this probably comes from the cellular substance in 



