74 THE CONNECTIVE TISSUES, BY A. ROLLETT. 



time presenting a much more delicate outline. Coincidently 

 the characteristic longitudinal striation of the fasciculi is lost. 

 These, equally with the compact connective tissue in which 

 coarse fasciculi lie in intimate connection with one another, 

 assume the appearance of a homogeneous mass, in which, how- 

 ever, under the microscope, various deposits that scarcely appear 

 in the fresh tissue, or altogether escape notice, are clearly 

 brought into view. 



The sudden shrivelling which the fibrils of connective tissue 

 undergo in boiling water, depends on a peculiar molecular 

 metamorphosis of the substance of the fibrils. It is impossible 

 to demonstrate that any imbibition of water occurs. If the 

 connective tissue be exposed to a boiling temperature, whilst at 

 the same time any shortening in the longitudinal direction of 

 the fibres is prevented, the tissue thus heated, when dried, still 

 retains, under the microscope, its fascicular and fibrous charac- 

 ter. If small portions of tendon are macerated in water of 

 various temperature, it will be observed that sudden contraction 

 occurs at as low a temperature as between 140 and 158 Fahr. 

 When connective tissue is long subjected to a boiling tempera- 

 ture, or is placed for a shorter time in a Papin's digester, or if, 

 in its natural condition of moisture, it is heated in a test tube 

 to 248 Fahr.,* it dissolves away in the manner already men- 

 tioned, and the fibres can in this mode be isolated. The 

 solutions which are obtained usually contain gelatine or 

 " Glutin." 



On account of their property of yielding gelatine on boiling, 

 the fibrils and fasciculi of connective tissue are termed collage- 

 nous substance. The conversion into gelatine occurs even at 

 104 Fahr., providing dilute acids have been added ; as for 

 example, sulphurous acid,-)- or O'l per cent of sulphuric acid.J 

 Founded on these facts, methods have been suggested for 

 the isolation of microscopic structures which do not yield 

 gelatine, but which are imbedded in or surrounded by connec- 



* Rollett, Kiitme, Ueber die peripherischen Endorgane der motorischen 

 Nerven, p. 6. Leipzig, 1862. 



f Ruthay, Annalen der Chemie undrPharmacie, Band xli., p. 236. 

 I Kiihne, loc. cit., p. 11. 



