MUCOUS SYSTEM. 245 



dies like the skin, the cerebral nerves go to them; other- 

 wise the mucous nerves are ganglionic. 



Q. Recapitulate the organization of the mucous tissue? 



A. It consists of an adhering sub-mucous cellular coat, 

 of a free surface, a mucous chorion, a vascular net-work 

 composed of blood-vessels, nerves, exhalents, mucous 

 glands, and papillae. 



Properties of the Mucous System. 



1. Properties of Texture. 



Q. What properties of texture are manifest in the mu- 

 cous tissue? 



#. Extensibility and contractility are evident, but these 

 are unequally active in the tissue. The stomach and 

 bowels possess them to a great degree; the ureter is more 

 distensible than the urethra. 



Q. When fluids cease to pass through the mucous ca- 

 nals, what takes place? 



/?. They contract, but never adhere. When blood 

 ceases to pass through an artery, it closes and becomes li- 

 gamentous; not so with the mucous canals. What bad 

 consequences must result if there existed in the bowels or 

 urethra a disposition to close. 



2. Vital Properties. 



Q. What are the active vital properties of the mucous 

 tissue? 



A. Animal sensibility is essential and conspicuous. In 

 the perception of odours, on the vaginal and urethral sur- 



