66 Sir EvERARD Home on the structure of a muscular fibre 



found that in this recent state the fibres are held so firmly 

 together by the mucus which surrounds them, and forms 

 them into fascicuh, that it was only under water he could 

 separate an integrant fibre for examination in the field of 

 the microscope. 



In its mechanism, he found it to correspond with the 

 nervous fibre of a gangHon, differing only in the size of the 

 globules, which were larger than those of the fibre in the 



ganglion in the proportion of —^ parts of an inch to — ^ 



and — ^— parts. 



4,000 ^ ■■- 



The elastic transparent jelly uniting the globules together, 

 had not the same elasticity as in the nervous fibre, so that 

 it could not be drawn out from the contracted state to double 

 its length without breaking. 



The muscular fibre of a trout was treated in the same 

 way, and the result was the same ; the fibres were however 

 more brittle than those in the bullock's neck. 



From these facts, in addition to those communicated in 

 the examination of the structure of ganglions, it is at last 

 ascertained, that the structure of the fibres of nerves in 

 general, and those peculiar to ganglions, as well as those that 

 compose muscles, is so far the same, that they consist of 

 single rows of globules united together by an elastic gelati- 

 nous transparent matter ; they differ however in the size of 

 the globules, and the degree of elasticity of the medium by 

 which they are united ; so that a less power will elongate a 

 nerve than the fibres of a muscle, and to a greater extent, 

 and it will restore itself with more velocity to a state of rest. 



This structure of nerves and muscles, I consider to be 



