386 



THE TISSUES. 



"When the muscular fibre-cells exist in abundance in an organ 

 (e. g. the alimentary canal, bladder, &c.), they are (1). Collected into 

 little bundles or fasciculi, which are invested by a very delicate 

 layer of areolar tissue a kind of perimysium ; and which also in- 

 closes a peculiar fluid lying among, and bathing the cells. (2). 

 The fasciculi thus invested, are interwoven to form the required 

 mass or thickness in the part or organ. (3). Bloodvessels are also 

 sent in among the fasciculi to a considerable amount (Fig. 247); 



Fig. 247. 



Bloodvessels of the smooth muscles of the intestines. Magnified 45 diameters. (Killiker.) 



while but a relatively small number of nerves is distributed to this 

 tissue. 



Chemical Composition of Muscular Fibre- Cells. 



1. The fluid which bathes the fibre-cells in the fasciculi is identi- 

 cal with that contained within the myolemma of the striated mus- 

 cular fibre ; and will be spoken of further on in this section under 

 the name of the muscular juice (p. 395). 



2. The demi-solid and most important element of the fibre-cells 

 is musculine (p. 98), also called muscular fibrine, and named syn- 

 tonin by Lehmann. But since this also forms the solid substance 

 of the fibrillse of the striated muscular fibre, it will be described 

 on a subsequent page (396). 



