OP THE CELLULAR TISSUE. 115 



the spaces between them, while the other relates only to the 

 organs it envelops and inlo whose texture it enters. These 

 portions or divisions are distinct, in imagination only, for the 

 cellular tissue is every where continuous with itself. 



137. The first portion is the external, general or common 

 cellular tissue textus cellular is inter medius,seu laxus that 

 which does not penetrate into the organs. This common cel- 

 lular tissue has the general extent and form of the body; if we 

 could suppose all other organs to be removed, and that this 

 tissue could support itself, it would form a whole, preserving 

 the form of the body and presenting a number of cells or ca- 

 vities for the different organs. The thickness of the layer it 

 forms round each of the latter, is not every where the same. In 

 the vertebral canal the cellular tissue is but in a very small 

 quantity; in the interior of the cranium, it forms an almost 

 invisible layer, so great is its tenacity. More of it is found on 

 the exterior of these same parts: it is particularly abundant 

 about the spine, in front, especially. The different parts of 

 the face, the orbits, the cheeks, contain a large quantity. 

 There is also a great deal in the neck, along the vessels and 

 between the muscles, in the thorax between the layers of the 

 mediastinum, and on the exterior of this cavity round the 

 mammae. A great quantity of cellular tissue is contained in 

 the abdomen, both in its interior, and in the thickness of its 

 parietes. This tissue abounds in the groin, axilla, among the 

 hamstrings, in the palm of the hand and the sole of the foot; 

 between the muscles it forms layers, more or less thick. Gene- 

 rally speaking, it is the more importantorgans that are most sur- 

 rounded by the cellular tissue; this tissue is also most plenty 

 in those places that are the seats of great motions. Besides as 

 it envelops all the organs and every where forms the parti- 

 tions that divide them, other circumstances being equal, there 

 should be most of it wherever these organs are most numer- 

 ous: accordingly, this is what we find, in the neck. 



139. The continuity of the cellular tissue is particularly 

 apparent in the great spaces between the organs. In the neck, 

 the continuity of this tissue with that of the head above, and 



