CELLULAR SUBSTANCE. 321 



the muscles. In the arm pit, in the groin, and in the neck, all 

 parts where much motion is enjoyed, it is unusually abundant. 

 The foramina of the cranium and of the spine, establish the 

 points of connexion of the cellular substance of these parts with 

 others adjacent. The cellular substance of the face is conti- 

 nued into that of the neck; that of the latter is continued through 

 the upper opening of the thorax upon the viscera of this cavity; 

 and thence through the openings of the diaphragm, along the 

 great vessels and oesophagus upon the viscera of the abdomen 

 and pelvis. The cellular substance of these cavities is again 

 continuous with the deep-seated cellular substance of the limbs 

 at the arm pit and at the groin. The trunk of the body being 

 enveloped by one broad sheet of cellular substance, it is con- 

 tinued superficially to the limbs.* 



With this general sketch of the distribution and extent of 

 cellular substance, it is not surprising that in certain bad cases 

 of emphysema, the air shows itself every where, even at points 

 the most remote from the lungs, and apparently the least ex- 

 posed to the accident, as the interstices of muscles, of glandular 

 organs, and so on. It will also now be understood how this 

 varied distribution of cellular substance and its proteiform 

 shape, have been the inexhaustible but delusive source of ana- 

 tomical discoveries and supposed novelties, under the name of 

 fascise, sheaths of vessels, and so on; and will continue to be 

 so, to such as do not recollect that all these things are included 

 under the general character of this tissue; and that each mus- 

 cle, each viscus, each nerve, and each blood vessel, has its own 

 particular chamber under this multiform arrangement, which 

 chamber may be traced to or from any other point, according 

 to fancy. At the same time it should be noted that many of 

 the laminae have a condensed form, which renders a special 

 knowledge of them of the greatest use to the surgeon, and 

 which is elsewhere succinctly pointed out, with the description 

 of their respective organs. 



* For a detailed account of the inflections of the cellular substance, the stu- 

 dent may consult with advantage, Bordeu, loc. cit. These inflections are the fas- 

 ciae of modern Surgical Anatomy. 



Bichat, Anatomic Generate; Systdme Cellulare. Paris, 1818. 



Andreas Bonn, de Conlinuationibus Membranarum, in Sandifort's Thesaurus 

 Dissertationum, Rotterdam, 1769. 



Haller, Element. Physiol. vol. i. 1757. 



