Renewed inquiries concerning the spiral structure of muscle, with observations on the muscularity of cilia / by Martin Barry, M.D.

  • Barry, M. (Martin), 1802-1855.
Date:
[1852]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Renewed inquiries concerning the spiral structure of muscle, with observations on the muscularity of cilia / by Martin Barry, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    showed in their movements a shortening and lengthening. No definite order, however, such as that implied by undulation, was observed. Perhaps a* disturbance had occui-red through mani- pulation.] • It is important, the author thinks, to have seen these undu- latory movements performed by the cilk m, fig. 36; for, as sue* cessors to the cilia n, the cilia thus undulating were about to arrange themselves in one of the two lines above mentioned as combining to form a sort of tunnel, through which by their ex- tremely vehement movements to dl-ive a rapid current. And the following occm-red to him as possibly sufficient to ex]5lain the appearance presented by these movements,—which have been aptly compared to the rapid flow of globules of a fluid. The cilia n, fig. 36, are all bent in the same direction; they are aiTanged in a line, and perform their swinging or lashing move- ments in an undulatory manner according to the order of their positions in that line. Like movements, and in the like order, are performed by the cilia o in the opposite line; their extremi- ties alternating with the extremities of the cilia n in the first line, like the fingers of the two hands, and moving without the shght- est mutual interference. Now were the movements throughout the whole phalanx of cilia contemporaneous, there would be pre- sented to the eye a permanent line of swinging movements. As, however, those swinging movements are performed by the ciha one after another in the order of their positions in the line, they assume the appearance of a row of roundish waves, following, or as it were chasing, and uninterruptedly passing into one another; not rarely appearing to the eye like a long revolving screw. The difiference between rows of globules (the appearance most frequently presented by the movements in question) and screw- cyhnders, may be supposed to arise as follows:—When the swinging movements are of dififerent extent at different parts, we have the appearance comparable to a row of globules; when those movements pass uniformly into one another, there is seen the long-revolving screw*. Having found the cilia on the branchial laminae of IMussels to consist of double spirals, the author deems it scarcely needful to remark, that he infers a like structnre in other cilia, exist where they may. As, however, in the coui'se of these researches he has very often had the opportunity of examining cilia of Infu- soria, several species of which are met with in the fluid of the Mussers shell, he cannot refrain from making known the fact, that in these cilia also he finds his double spiral. Often did he * [The screw probably exhibiting the normal, and the row of globules a disturbed state.]