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
In the other parts of the body, the sub-cutaneous cellular texture
varies considerably. 1st. The density of this texture is remarkable in
the hairy scalp, which is with difficulty separated on that account
from the aponeuroses and subjacent muscles. Those who have often
examined patients who have died of apoplexy, know that sometimes
their heads and necks are emphysematous; I have already seen four.
Now whilst considerable air is found in the face, little or none is
met with under the hairy scalp. 2d. In the face, the sub-cutaneous
texture is remarkably loose, it is very abundant there. 3d. Upon the
trunk this laxity is also very evident; it accommodates itself to the
motions which the great and broad muscles perform there. 4th. Upon the
extremities, the sub-cutaneous cellular texture, situated between the
aponeuroses and the skin, offers almost every where an equal degree
of relaxation. It is only upon the palm of the hand and the sole of
the foot that, its texture becoming more compact, the adhesion of
the aponeuroses to the skin is more evident, an arrangement that is
favourable to the use of these two parts, which are designed to adapt
themselves to the forms of external bodies, to grasp and hold them. It
is to this compact texture, that must be referred the difficulty that
exists of making these parts subject to dropsical effusions. Long after
every other part of the sub-cutaneous texture is infiltrated, this
preserves its ordinary state. I have seen two patients affected with
elephantiasis, where every part of the skin and subjacent texture of
the lower extremities was enormously swelled, except the sole of the
foot. The contrast of this part, remaining in its natural state, with
the top of the foot, which was raised to an enormous swelling, gave
that peculiar appearance that all authors have noticed. At the place
of the annular ligaments, the sub-cutaneous cellular texture is very
compact, and the adhesion of the skin, is also very evident; hence
those contractions that are seen in the limbs of infants at the place
of the ligaments, the fat penetrating but very little into the cells,
that are very closely drawn together.
The sub-cutaneous cellular texture has several different uses. It
furnishes the skin with the great mobility it enjoys, a mobility that
is particularly observable in the great motions of the trunk and
extremities, in the collisions it experiences with external bodies, in
the different tumours that get to a great size, as in sarcocele, which
is often covered at the expense of a part of the integuments of the
penis, the abdomen and the thigh, which are stretched and have a real
locomotion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account