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( W. Bowman. ) 
MUSCULAR SYSTEM, (Comparative 
Anatomy oF).—The muscular system of ani- 
mals, as the term is generally understood, is 
composed of masses or fasciculi of highly irri- 
table filaments, by the contractions of which 
the movements of the body, whether voluntary 
or involuntary, are effected, and the arrange- 
ment of these moving powers, their size and 
strength, forms and general disposition, must 
of course vary ad infinitum in the different 
classes of animals, in conformity with the varie- 
ties of their external form, or the innumerable 
kinds of apparatus conferred, for special pur- 
es, upon particular tribes or even species of 
iving beings. Of these detailed accounts are 
elsewhere given in those articles which treat of 
the structure and anatomy of each class entering 
into the composition of the animal kingdom. 
Nevertheless, it has been deemed advisable, 
upon the present occasion, to collect together 
in one view the principal facts connected with 
general myology, and to state, as briefly and 
concisely as the nature of the subject will 
allow, those grand physiological points which 
an extended review of the comparative organi- 
zation and development of the muscular system 
reveals to the anatomical observer, in order to 
concatenate the leading facts recorded in other 
of this work. 
It may be laid down as an axiom universal 
_are developed to such an extent as to 
MUSCULAR SYSTEM. 
in its application, that the condition of the 
musculur system in any race of animals must 
dependent upon, or at least in strict conforma 
with, the development of the nervous apparatus, — 
by the influence of which muscular mov 
are excited, controlled, directed, and associated 
Thus, as we advance from lower to more — 
elevated forms of living creatures, it is easy | > 
perceive that in exact proportion as the nervous 
system makes its appearance, and = 
gressively more clahoranshy organized, the m 1S- 
cles themselves become developed and assume — 
a perfection of structure and precision of move= 
ment adapted to the increasing exigencies of the 
animal economy; nay,it has now satisfacto- 
rily established that even among the highest race 
of the animal creation, during the progress of 
embryo development, the most intimate relation 
is observable between the state of the ne 
centres and the condition of the nascent mu 
as they become gradually formed and perfee 
In the lowest Zoophytes where nervous fibr 
of any kind are not perceptible, even under the 
most rigid microscopical examination, the con 
tractile tissue of the body is equally diffuse 
and devoid of aggregation into filaments ¢ 
fasciculi of mascular fibre, and precisely um 
the same conditions the first radiment of the 
vertebrate embryo, being as yet entirely deve 
of nerves, is also destitute of distinet mi 
cles, the movements of which could only 
associated and rendered efficacious by means 
nervous intercommunication; and this ¢ 
plete want of aggregation of the elements 
muscular tissue is as remarkable throughow 
the Acrite division of the animal world as it 
in the nervous matter entering into the comy 
sition of their bodies, which, although its 
sence is not to be detected by our senses, is f 
sonably supposed to exist in a diffused s 
even in the lowest tribes of animated bein 
As soon as nervous threads become appart 
and long before ganglionic masses of neur 
= 
~ 
hoa 
oe 
SF # 
them to be regarded as centres of inn 
the muscular tissue, in like manner, assum 
different and far more perfect character. 
elementary molecules composing muscular 
are then distinctly visible, and assuming a 
nite arrangement become grouped in lo 
dinal series, exhibiting contractile bai 
fascicles placed in precise directions, and 
ble of effecting movements of a more dee 
character than could possibly be exerci 
creatures deprived of nervous cords, wl 
the contractions of numerous muscular 
might be associated and made to coope! 
the accomplishment of a given purpose. 
Moreover, it must be obvious that, | 
great division of the animal creation W 
characterized by the existence of nervo 
ments, the ganglionic centres bei 
imperceptible, or at least where any have 
detected, in a very rudimentary state 0 
velopment (the Nematoneura of F 
Owen); such a condition of the nervol 
ratus involves, as a necessary COr 
important circumstances connected 
general economy of the beings so © 
