General Anatomy, Applied to Physiology and Medicine, Vol. 1 (of 3)Bichat, Xavier
Science
General Anatomy, Applied to Physiology and Medicine, Vol. 1 (of 3)
Bichat, Xavier
Human anatomy; Human physiology
Moreover compare the properties of texture of the arteries with
those of the muscles; compare their vital properties, by examining
the articles in which I treat of these properties; compare their
development, and especially the different morbid alterations to which
the two are subject, and you will see that there is not a single
relation in which they have the least analogy. The aneurism of the
heart and that of the arteries have nothing in common but the name.
In one there is a rupture of the arterial fibres, a dilatation of the
cellular coat; in the other an unnatural increase, a real development
of muscular fibres which preserve their appearance and their
properties.
Notwithstanding the ease with which the arterial fibres are broken in
cases of aneurism, they enjoy in a natural state a very considerable
degree of resistance and force; another character that distinguishes
them from the fleshy texture. The following are the proofs of this
resistance, which takes place both transversely and longitudinally.
1st. If we tie the carotid artery above, and drive a fluid afterwards
into it, great force must be employed to break its texture. The same
thing happens when we force in air instead of a liquid. Frequently
the efforts of a man are insufficient to produce a rupture; thus the
force of the heart can never cause it suddenly; so that the formation
of aneurisms takes place only from the long continued action upon the
arterial parietes; I doubt whether these tumours can be formed, without
a previous alteration of the arterial texture, by the force of the
impulse of the blood alone against the weak parietes of the arteries.
2d. The resistance of these parietes takes place longitudinally also.
If we draw in a contrary direction, the two ends of an artery and of a
muscle, we effect with more difficulty the rupture of the first, when
the dead body is the subject of this comparative experiment. But upon
the living the effect is opposite; the vessel yields to a very strong
action made upon it; it would be necessary that this action should
be incomparably greater to divide the muscle. This difference arises
evidently from the vital properties of the latter, which in this case
contracts violently, whilst the artery can make no further resistance
than from the nature of its texture. Besides, this longitudinal
resistance to distension is less than the lateral resistance opposed to
the injection; experiments prove it, and it arises without doubt from
this, that no fibre, in the first case, is found directly opposed to
the effort.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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