116 GENERAL ANATOMY. 



with that of the interior of the thorax below, is evident: the 

 openings of this cavity which communicate with the superior 

 members, present an equally well marked continuity of the 

 cellular tissue of the chest with that of the superior members. 

 In a similar way in the abdomen, the ischiatic notch, the in- 

 guinal ring, the crural arch, &c. present, an evident continui- 

 ty of the cellular tissue within the abdomen and without, and 

 hence with the inferior members. The intervertebral foramina 

 along the vertebral canal, establish a communication between 

 the interior and exterior of the canal; the foramina at the base of 

 the cranium establish in like manner a communication between 

 its cavity and the outside of the head. The continuity of the 

 cellular membrane does not only exist in the places of which 

 we have spoken; various phenomena, of which more here- 

 after, indicate it generally in all the spaces that subsist be- 

 tween the organs; it is only more strongly marked, wherever 

 these spaces are most sensibly defined. It will easily be per- 

 ceived that the rounded forms of the organs, must render these 

 spaces very numerous. 



140. The second division of the cellular tissue, furnishes 

 to each organ in particular, an envelope which is peculiar to 

 it, and which besides penetrates into its thickness; this peculiar 

 disposition, has given rise to two sub-divisions. The cellu- 

 lar tissue which forms the envelopes of organs textus cellu- 

 laris strictus has been considered by Bordeu as a kind of 

 atmosphere, which limits their morbid action and phenomena, 

 and prevents these latter from being extended from one to 

 another. This idea, adopted by Bichat, appears to me to have 

 but a slight foundation; the difference of their organization is 

 the sole cause of the insulation which the organs present in 

 their actions, as well as in their diseases. Be this as it may, 

 the cellular layer which surrounds the organs varies in thick- 

 ness they all show this in a degree more or less marked, those 

 only excepted, whose envelopes are of a different nature, that 

 is, of the ligamentous or serous tissues. The envelope which 

 this layer constitutes, is continuous with the common cellular 

 tissue on the one hand, and with that which occupies the inte- 

 rior of the organ, on the other. Its cellular envelope is variously 



