OBSERVATIONS, &c. 251 



I remarked, that although in foine parts of the body, ten- 

 dinous membranes, fuch as thofe between the cartilages of the 

 ribs, or the apaneurofes palmares, or fafcise latse of the thighs, 

 ferved merely for the defence of the parts, or as fheaths to them, 

 as they were connected to them by the cellular fubftance only, 

 yet, in general, they ferved, befides the mere purpofe of de- 

 fence, to furnifh a greater extent of furface for the attachment 

 of oblique flefhy fibres. 



I shewed them, that wherever tendinous membranes run 

 longitudinally on the furfaces of mufcles, flefhy fibres, placed 

 obliquely, were found ; that in many mufcles, as in the femi- 

 membranofus, or flexor pollicis longus, flefhy fibres paflfed ob- 

 liquely from the inner part of the tendon on one fide, to the 

 inner part of the tendon on the other fide of the mufcle, or 

 fuch mufcles were femi-penniform, (See T. 1. fig. 1.) ; that in 

 other mufcles, as in the rectus extenfor cruris, or flexor pollicis 

 pedis longus, a third tendinous membrane was found in the 

 middle of the mufcle, between which and the inner parts of 

 the tendons on the two fides of the mufcle, the flefhy fibres 

 parted obliquely, and produced a complete penniform appear- 

 ance, (fee T. 1. fig. 2.); and fome mufcles, as the foleus, might 

 be called compound penniform, becaufe, on cutting them, 

 lengthways, we difcovered feveral longitudinal tendinous mem- 

 branes, to both fides of which oblique flefhy fibres were con- 

 nected. See T. 1. fig. 3. 



I alleged, that the direction, length and number of fi- 

 bres in fuch mufcles had not been furnciently attended to by 

 anatomifts or by furgeons ; and that, in many inftances, the 

 breadth of thefe mufcles had been miftaken for their length ; 

 that in confequence of fuch inattention, they would find the 

 celebrated Louis * attempting to difcard the double incifion of 

 the foft parts in the amputation of the thigh, although, from 

 the obliquity and fhortnefs of the mufcular fibres which cover 



I i 2 the 



* Acad. Roy. de Chirurg. T. 2. p. 357. 



