of the muscle. I undertook this examination, 

 and obtained very satisfactory . and decisive re- 

 sults. In consequence of the experiments thus 

 made, it is beyond all doubt, that the fibrous 

 membrane of the arteries cannot be a muscle ; for 

 while the latter is soft and flaccid, and contains 

 more than three-fourths of its weight of water, 

 the artery is dry and very elastic; the muscular 

 fibre possesses the same chemical properties as 

 the fibrin of the blood ; for instance, that of be- 

 ing soluble in acetic acid, and of forming scarcely 

 soluble compounds with sulphuric, nitric, and 

 muriatic acids; but the arterial fibre has altoge- 

 ther opposite qualities, viz. that of not being so- 

 i^ble in acetic acid, but pretty easily soluble in 



miveral acids, diluted with water to a certain 

 \ 



degree, from which solution it cannot be preci- 

 pitated by means of alkali, or alkaline prussiats, 

 which are the tests for the acid solution of fibrin, 

 &c. Consequently, as the arterial fibre neither 

 has the structure of a muscle, nor its chemical 

 properties and composition, it cannot be a muscle, 

 nor perform the functions of a muscle, which is, 

 besides, sufficiently evident from its elasticity. 

 This elasticity in the arteries, however, compen- 

 sates fully the muscular power. HALLER'S de- 

 scription of the pulse, is of course correct, not* 



