CELLULAR TISSUE. 25 



Dr. B. Yes, for when closely examined by a mi- 

 croscope after the necessary preparation, we observe 

 whitish threads or fibres of extreme delicacy much 

 finer than the finest cobweb which, intersecting one 

 another in all directions, leave minute spaces which are 

 termed cells, and may be very aptly compared to those 

 of the honey-comb. These cells all communicate with 

 one another, so that from a single spot, the whole body 

 may be distended with air or water. This is the reason 

 why the hands and feet of dropsical people are more 

 inclined to be distended with water than other parts the 

 water gravitating to the lowest level it can find. This 

 intimate communication is still more remarkable in regard 

 to air, for sometimes when an accidental opening has 

 been made from the air-cells of the lungs into the con- 

 tiguous cellular tissue, the air has penetrated into every 

 portion of it, and the whole body become puffed to such 

 a degree as almost to occasion suffocation. Butchers 

 are said, to sometimes give their meat the appearance of 

 fullness and rotundity, by blowing air into the cellular 

 tissue. 



Emily. What are its properties, Dr. B. ? I suppose 

 that entering so largely as it does into the composition of 

 the body, it must be endowed with numerous and im- 

 portant properties. 



Dr. B. So far however is this from being the case, 

 that out of its four properties, not one is of a vital nature, 

 but are all common to it and inorganic matter. They 

 are cohesion, flexibility, extensibility and elasticity. 

 This last property is peculiar to the cellular tissue ; 

 and its operation in some of the most important actions 

 of life, are such as to elicit our admiration at the striking 

 contrast between the simplicity of the means and the 

 beauty and magnitude of the result. In all cases where 

 accommodation to variations of capacity, pressure, &c. 

 is necessary, there we find the cellular tissue beauti- 

 fully calculated under some one of its numerous modifi- 

 cations, to answer any of these diversified objects. After 

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