551 
ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND USE OF TENDINOUS 
STRUCTURE AS CONNECTED WITH 
MUSCULAR FIBRE*. 
By Edward Mayhew, M.R.C.V.S. 
I WISH to direct your attention to this subject, and to point 
out some circumstances connected with it that appear hitherto to 
have escaped observation. The structure of tendon, ligament, 
fascia, & c. is characterised by its slight elasticity and by its great 
power of resistance, or its strength. The vitality with which it is 
endowed is so low, that, while it retains its moisture, death seems 
not to impair its properties, and it is primarily subjected to few 
diseases. Undue tension, however, excites in it extreme sensi- 
bility, and gives rise to sprain. Sprain is an affection which has 
too generally been applied to the ligaments only ; but I hope to 
shew to your satisfaction that the tendinous structure connected 
with muscular fibre is exposed to this injury, and that the distinc- 
tion drawn between a tendon as connecting muscle to bone, and a 
ligament as joining bone to bone, is one which cannot be abso- 
lutely maintained. Muscle is said in some joints to play the part 
of ligament, and this assertion is generally made when demonstrat- 
ing the scapulo-humeral articulation. The smallest amount of 
physiological knowledge will prove such an opinion to be incor- 
rect. Muscular fibre cannot endure the constant traction which 
tendinous structure is formed to sustain. Traction upon a muscle 
calls forth its contractility; and, if this contractility, be long ex- 
cited, exhaustion ensues. Did the shoulder-joint depend upon 
the muscular fibre for its integrity, the humerus and scapula 
would first be firmly locked together, so as to prohibit motion, and 
then relaxed, so as to be incapable of resisting luxation. Mus- 
cular fibre has an active office, and other structures have been 
created for passive endurance. 
Passing from . the shoulder-joint* and proceeding to investigate 
the subject in its application to other parts, we find much stress 
laid upon the weight which the flexor pedis perforans and per- 
forate have to sustain. The horse, it is known, may exist for 
years, and yet during its existence never lie down. The animal 
can rest and sleep without of necessity assuming the recumbent 
posture. Did the flexor muscles during so lengthened a period 
* The Editors have to apologize to Mr. Mayhew for not before publishing 
this, his original paper, which has given rise to the controversy between 
Mr. Barlow and him. They with much pleasure do so now, and thus put an end 
to a disputative correspondence which, without it, would be left incomplete. 
