Researches, tending to prove the non-vascularity and the peculiar uniform mode of organization and nutrition of certain animal tissues : viz. articular cartilage, and the cartilage of the different classes of fibro-cartilage, the cornea, the crystalline lens, and the vitreous humour, and the epidermoid appendages / by Joseph Toynbee.

  • Toynbee, Joseph, 1815-1866.
Date:
1841
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Researches, tending to prove the non-vascularity and the peculiar uniform mode of organization and nutrition of certain animal tissues : viz. articular cartilage, and the cartilage of the different classes of fibro-cartilage, the cornea, the crystalline lens, and the vitreous humour, and the epidermoid appendages / by Joseph Toynbee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    These vessels form a band which surrounds the circumference of the articular car- tilage in all joints, as has been above stated. In the foetus, the vessels forming the band are long, while in the young and adult subject they are shorter, having receded to the margin of the cartilage which is not subject to concussion. In the foetal subject this band is more broad in some parts than others; but those portions of it which project to an inconsiderable extent over the surface of the cartilage, have, on the opposite part of the circumference, others which project to a considerable extent. Virious Characters of the Synovial Vessels.—^These synovial vessels consist of arte- ries which take a direction towards the centre of the articular cartilage, and of veins which take a retrograde course. The arteries become continuous with the veins in the following ways:—1st, the artery becomes directly continuous with the vein without undergoing any change in its size, forming with the latter a simple loop (Plate XIII. fig. 1.); 2ndly, numerous arteries terminate in a single vessel from which veins arise; (this disposition is evident in the knee-joint, Plate XIV. fig. 2. and Plate XIII. fig. 5.); 3rdly, the artery terminates in largely dilated vessels, from which the veins take their origin, Plate XIII. figs. 3 and 4. The preceding account of the examination of the vessels of articulations at early periods, shows that a large quantity of blood-vessels exists both at the free and attached surface of articular cartilage during its development. The modes in which these vessels are disposed, the dilated, plexiform, and other characters which they present at the point of communication of the arterial with the venous system, are cinteresting features in the anatomy of the vascular system, and their presence here must be associated with the large quantity of fluid required for the nutrition of the articular cartilage during development, and which is eliminated from the blood whilst its course is retarded in these vessels*. C. Adult Articular Cartilage. I have now to speak of the nutrition of articular cartilage when perfectly developed, and subject, in the performance of its functions, to violent concussion, compression, &c. In reference to the structure of adult articular cartilage, it has already been stated that at its attached surface, viz. at the part where it joins the osseous lamella, it pre- sents numerous fine canals, which can be seen only with the higher magnifying powers. These canals are irregular in their distribution ; some are merely dilated cavities; frequently several of these cavities are elongated, and arranged serially, running from the attached towards the free surface of the cartilage. At the free or synovial sur- face, these canals do not exist; the cells of the texture at this part being elongated * I have frequently found the sac of the synovial membrane full of colourless size, in joints of which the vessels have been successfully filled with an injection composed of size and vermilion.