372 
MR. SKEY ON MUSCULAR FIBRE. 
magnifying power of about 600 diameters, by which the objects are exhibited with 
remarkable distinctness. In order, however, to accomplish this with the best elfect, 
1 have invariably submitted the object to a careful preparation under a smaller mi- 
croscope, used by Mr. Goadby in his able dissections of the anatomy of insects, on 
the field of which a minute portion of perfectly recent muscle is placed, which has 
been detached from the mass by means of a lancet, or a fine pair of curved scissars. 
This, placed on a slip of glass and immersed in water, is observed to consist of many 
small fasciculi, which may be separated from each other by two pairs of delicate for- 
ceps. Of these fasciculi one may be retained, and laid out on the glass with as little 
violence done to its natural structure as possible. 
The connecting medium of the whole of the fasciculi, is a finely reticulated cellular 
tissue, the tenacity of which is great in proportion as the muscle is fresh ; but it may 
be at all times divided with scissars without injury either to the form, or to the arrange- 
ment of the layer of fibres to be submitted to examination with the larger microscope. 
The residue reduced by dissection to a nearly diaphanous state will consist of a 
single layer of ultimate muscular fibres ; and of these the object thus prepared may 
contain from twenty to thirty placed parallel to each other, occupying for the most 
part the same plane, and straight in direction. 
In obedience to the recommendation of Proschaska, and indeed of most physiolo- 
gists who have made muscular fibre the subject of minute examination, I have sub- 
jected the objects I have employed, to boiling and maceration. The result of which 
has been an increased conviction of the superiority of the perfectly recent fibre. The 
effect of boiling is that of softening to a considerable degree the cellular tissue, which 
breaks down readily under the instrument employed, and consequently, the easy se- 
paration of the fibres from each other. This I conceive to be a positive objection, 
inasmuch as a large quantity of cellular tissue retains its connection to the individual 
fibres, from which, in consequence of its unnatural softness, it cannot be disengaged. 
Each fibre therefore presents a woolly appearance, and is comparatively indistinct ; 
whereas by the aid of the dissecting microscope, with a little careful manipulation, 
all the superfluous cellular tissue may be removed from the recent fibre that has not 
been subjected to this process, in consequence of its unimpaired tenuity of texture, 
and the fibre exhibits in a very striking degree its natural characters. 
Nor could I concur in the recommendation of Proschaska : “ Turn lacertus inter 
duos digitos teritur lender ac premitur donee mollis et pulposus quasi evadat la- 
certus.” On the contrary, I believe the less violence of any kind employed the better. 
By a coarse manipulation the fibres may be rendered zigzag or serpentine, but their 
natural direction I believe to be straight. 
Each fibre is connected with its fellow by cellular membrane still finer than that 
which connects the smaller fasciculi, and so transparent when recent, as not to impair 
the distinct view of the fibre itself when clearly in focus. If this cellular connection 
be lacerated, the fibres are drawn asunder and become distorted. 
