ADHESION. 49 



of a composite animal; the polygastrica derive flammation be developed, such exhalation can 



their name from an analogous multiplication of no longer occur, but the second state, that in 



the digestive organ itself. Among the sterel- which a purulent exhalation shall be the pro- 



mintha we find instances where the generative duct, may be induced. 



system is the subject of a similar repetition, It is upon this principle, viz. that a certain 



each joint of the taenise being the seat of a separate quantity of inflammation shall predispose to 



ovary, though all are nourished by continua- the first species of union, which is termed 



tions of one simple system of nutritious tubes, union by the first intention ; and that a greater 



The calcareous and siliceous sponges, again, quantity may produce a purulent exhalation, 



which, in eliminating the first sketch of an in- and therefore be opposed to such union, that is 



ternal earthy skeleton, seem to lose the few founded the following precept. " When it is 



characteristics of animal life which they before deemed prudent to prevent union by the first 



possessed, are limited to the repetition of a intention, we have merely to introduce between 



simple spiculum. the surfaces, and retain there from eighteen to 



The formative energies of the Acrita being twenty-four hours a piece of lint, by which a 

 thus expended on a few simple operations, and sufficient degree of inflammation will, usually, 

 not concentrated on the perfect development of be excited to ensure a suppurating surface." 

 any single organ, it is not surprising that the From the time when the phenomena of in- 

 different classes should exhibit the greatest flammation were first carefully studied, until 

 diversity of external figure.* But it has been very recently, it has been commonly, if not uni- 

 well observed that Nature, so far from forgetting versally maintained, that adhesion could never 

 order, has, at the commencement of her work, be accomplished in the absence of inflamma- 

 in these imperfect animals given us a sketch of tion. 



the different forms which she intended after- In the present day, Breschet* and some others 



wards to adopt for the whole animal kingdom, have endeavoured to establish that adhesion 



Thus in the soft, sluggish sterelmintha we have does not, necessarily, imply the pre-existence or 



the outline of themollusca ; in the fleshy living co-existence of inflammation ; and as it appears 



mass which surrounds the earthy hollow axis of to me upon very insufficient evidence. They 



the polypi natantes, she has sketched a verte- say that adhesion may result from a " primitive 



brated animal ; and in the crustaceous covering disposition of the organization" and as evi- 



of the living mass, and the structure more dence of the existence of this disposition, they 



or less articulated of the polypi vaginati we refer to certain congenital affections, occlusion 



trace the form of the annulose or articulate of the eyelids, and of the lachrymal canal, 



classes. imperforations of the mouth, the anus, and so 



(Richard Owen.) on. Why they should assume that phenomena, 



the mechanism of which appears identical, 



ADHESION, (from ad-hcerere, Lat. adhcsio, should be effected by a totally different agency 



Fr. adherence, Germ, wiederanheilung, Ital. ade- in intra and in extra-uterine life, it is not easy 



sione,) that process, by the occurrence of which, to understand, and 1 believe such is not the fact, 



when two living surfaces, naturally or artifi- We may have certaia of these occlusions, 



cially separated the one from the other, are accomplished in extra-uterine life, but never 



brought into mediate or immediate contact, without the intervention of inflammation ; and 



and inflammation is developed, those surfaces what possible reason have we for supposing 



may become adherent the one to the other. that if these occlusions do commonly, nay 



This adhesion may be effected either by the always, occur in consequence of the develop- 



intervention of a stratum of exhaled fibrino- ment of inflammatory action, that this agency 



albuminous matter, inorganic in the first in- shall be wanting during uterine life ? None, I 



stance, but at a subsequent period acquiring apprehend, beyond simple assumption. 



mization, and becoming a perfect and per- Imperforation of the eyelids and occlusion 



manent cellular bond of union ; or it may not of the lachrymal canal differ from imperfora- 



occur until after suppuration has been estab- tion of the mouth and of the anus, in that the 



lished and granulating surfaces are presented ; former result, not from the presence of an 



these surfaces enter into adhesion, and in this anomalous membrane, but only from the union 



case the bond of union is not so decidedly of existing membranes, which are normally 



cellular in character as in the former; it is more separated the one from the other. In the greater 



or less dense and fibre-cellular. number of cases the eyelids are simply adherent, 



In either case, the medium of union pre- either at one or many points, or along the whole 



sents peculiar modifications dependent upon length of their border, and I would say are 



the tissue on which it is developed. This circum- always so in consequence of inflammation, 



stance, and especially the deposition of osseous The other imperforations to which allusion 



matter, where bony union is required, was one has been made, are dissimilar to those of the 



of the strongest arguments used for the purpose eyelids. Imperforation of canals opening upon 



of establishing the existence of the presiding the surface of the body is a case in which, al- 



intelligent principle of Stahl. most always, there has been an arrest of de- 



If the first process, that in which the fibrino- velopment ; all the canals which in the adult 



albuminous exhalation obtains, be interfered are lined by a mucous membrane, continuous 



with, that is, if a more intense degree of in- with the skin at their orifice, are naturally, at 



* Macleay, ibid, p. 123. * Diet, de Med. art. Adherence, 



VOL. l. E 



