Fascia

“ When you follow the germ from father until it has left his system of fascia, we find it flourishing in the womb, which organ is almost a complete being of itself. The center, origin, and mother of all fascias. It there dwells and grows to birth, and appears as a completed being, a product of the life giving powers of the fascia. ”

“ By removing the skin and subjacent adipose membrane from the hypogastrium, we expose the superficial fascia. This membrane, E E E*, Fig. 1, Plate 50, is, in the middle line, adherent to B, the linea alba, and thereby contributes to form the central depression which extends from the navel to the pubes. The adipose tissue, which in some subjects accumulates on either side of the linea alba, renders this depression more marked in them. At the folds of the groin the fascia is found adherent to Poupart’s ligament, and this also accounts for the depressions in both these localities. ”

“ Suppose venous blood to be suspended by cold or other causes in the lungs to the amount of œdema of the fascia, another mental look would see the nerves of the fascia of the lungs in a high [Pg 160] state of excitement, cramping fascia on veins which is bound to stop flow of blood to heart. No blood can pass through a vein that is closed by resistance, nor can it ever do it until resistance is suspended. Thus the cause of nerve irritation must be found and removed before the channels can relax and open sufficiently to admit the passage of the fluids being obstructed. ”

“ Other great questions come to haunt the mind with joy and admiration, and we can see all the beauties of life on exhibition by that great power with which the fascia is endowed. The soul of man with all the streams of pure living water seems to dwell in the fascia of his body. ”

“ Now had the nerves of the skin and fascia not been irritated to contract the skin against the fascia passing its dead fluids through the excretory ducts of the skin, we probably would have no eruption. It is not quite reasonable to conclude that after the heart overloads the fascia and the nerves lose their control by pressure of fluids, that all that is left is chemical action to the production of pus, which throws it out of fascia in intervening spaces? Then should the fascia have greater death of its substances, we have one spot to run into others, and we have "confluent smallpox." ”

“ The sheet of fascia to which the somatic muscles are attached is separated from the fascia which encloses the branchial cavity by a space (cf. Figs. 63 and 64) filled with blood-spaces and cells containing fat, in which space is also situated the cartilaginous branchial basket-work. These branchial bars are closely connected with the branchial sheet of fascia, and have no connection with the somatic fascia, their perichondrium forming part of the former sheet. Upon examination, this space is seen to be mainly vascular, the blood-spaces being large and frequently marked with pigment ”

“ In a few hours chilly feeling leaves and fever sets in very high, burns your hands. The patient is rounded in chest, abdomen, face and limbs by congestion of the fascia and all of the lymphatic glands. This stagnation will soon begin its work of fermentation of the fluids of fascia, then you see the rash. If you do not want to see the rash and sloughing of throat, with a dead patient, I would advise you to train your guns on the blood, nerves, and lymphatics of the fascia and stop the cause at once, or quit. ”

“ The fascia may be divided freely in every direction, and as mortification from defect of nourishment rarely takes place in the fingers, as it does in the toes, when the great arteries of the limb have been injured, every effort should be made to save a forearm, however badly it may at first appear to be injured. ”

“ If he can, then we can hope to be healthy with diseased blood, but if we must have good material in building, then we should form our thoughts to suit the heads of inspectors, and inspect the passage of blood through the diaphragm, pleury, pericardium and the fascia, superficial, deep and universal. Disease is just as liable to begin its work [Pg 130] in the fascia and epithelium as any other place. Thus the necessity of pure blood and healthy fascia, because all functions are equally responsible for good and bad results. ”

“ When it bursts, the poultice should be exchanged, in a day or two, for mild dressings.
“The inflammation of the fascia, if light, is marked by some little tension of the breast, with erythema of the skin over the affected portion. There is considerable fever, but not much pain, and the disease is likely to yield to tepid fomentations and a purgative, if the milk can be drawn off freely. If the fascia be more extensively or severely inflamed, the breast swells quickly, and this distention adds to the disease, which, indeed, is often caused, at first, by distention of the fascia. ”

“ Cut this fascia by an incision parallel to the dorsal median line and about two centimeters from it, from the level of the crest of the ilium as far craniad as the fascia can be cut without cutting into the muscle-fibres (usually to about the level of the last rib) . Reflect the medial division of the fascia to the middle line. Reflect the lateral division of the fascia until it passes into the muscle and cannot be farther reflected. ”

“ When reason sees a white corpuscle in the fascia not taken up as a nutrient, it attaches itself to the fascia with all its uterine powers during the time of measles or other eruptive diseases, and soon takes form and is a vital and durable being whose name is tubercle; in form a sphere, and place of fœtal life is a cell in the fascia of life giving power to all forms of flesh. ”

“ Thus you have a cause for decomposition of the blood and other substances, to be conveyed to the lungs for purification and renewal. You have a logical foundation and a cause for all diseases, catarrhal, climatic, contagions, infections, and epidemics. The fascia proves itself to be the probable matrix of life and death. Beginning with the mucous membrane penetrating all parts to supply and renovate the fluids of life, and nourishing all the nerves of nutrition and assimilation. When harmonious in normal action, health is good; when perverted, disease is destructive unto death. ”

“ The first incision should divide the skin, superficial fascia, and fat, quite down to the fascia lata. The edges of the wound being held apart, the fascia should be carefully divided, and the sartorius exposed; its fibres can generally be easily enough recognised by their oblique direction; once recognised, the fascia should be dissected from it till its inner edge be gained, the corner of which should then be turned so that it may be held outwards by an assistant with a blunt hook. ”

“ The deep layer is that which immediately overlies the posterior tibial and peronaeal vessels and nerves. While exposing the fascia on the forepart of the leg and dorsum of the foot, we meet with the musculo-cutaneous branch of the peronaeal nerve, which pierces the fascia at about the middle of the limb, and descends superficially in a direction between the fibula, and the extensor longus digitorum muscle, and after dividing into branches a little above the outer ankle, these traverse in two groups the dorsum of the foot, to be distributed to the integuments of the five toes. ”

“ When a small instrument passes deep through a fascia, it makes an opening in it which is not increased by the natural retraction of parts, inasmuch as it is not sufficiently large to admit of it; and which opening, small as it is, may be filled or closed up by the soft cellular tissue below, which rises into it, and forms a barrier to the discharge of any matter which may be secreted beneath. ”

“ Interossei; 10. Middle metacarpal bone; 11. Extensor tendon and sheath; 12. Superficial fascia beneath dorsal integument; 13. Fascia of hypothenar eminence; 14. Muscles of little finger.
Between the proximal border of the fibres of Gerdy and the point of bifurcation of the digital [23] bands of the radiating fascia is a space about half an inch in length, in which is seen a portion of the vaginal fascia that invests the tendons, vessels, and nerves in the palm. (Fig. 3.) The connective-tissue fibres in this latter are for the most part transversely arranged. ”

“ With this foundation established we think we prove conception, growth, and cause of all diseases to be in the fascia.
As this philosophy has chosen the fascia as a foundation on which to stand, we hope the reader will chain his patience for a few minutes on the subject of the fascia, and its relation to vitality. It stands before the philosopher as one of, if not the deepest living problems ever brought before the mind of man. ”

“ The skin cannot be sufficiently retracted unless the fascia be divided, and as the division of the skin is certainly the most painful part of the operation, it ought never to be done by two incisions, when the largest thigh can most readily and speedily be encircled by one. If the fascia should not be completely divided by the first circular incision, it is to be cut with the point of the knife, together with any attachment to the bone or muscles beneath. ”

“ Would not reason see the development of millions more of the vital beings who get their nourishment from the vitality found in the human fascia, which comes nearer to the surface in the lungs than in any part of the system, except it be the womb.
In proof of the certainty of measles being taken up by the lungs at one breath and caught by the secretions and conveyed to the universal system of fascia to develop the contagion, I will give the case of one of my boys who was sick with cold as I supposed; watering of eyes, cough, fever and headache. ”

“ To cut through the abdominal fascia, carefully puncture it above the stomach, so the opening will be large enough to admit the forefinger of the right hand being introduced through the opening; then holding the scalpel with its edge upwards, the back resting along the extended forefinger, introduce both into opening, and cut from downward upwards into the fascia of the abdomen in a straight line across from the stomach to the liver in a similar way to that above described for cutting through the skin. ”

“ Under this fascia the common carotid artery (beside which are the jugular vein and the pneumogastric nerve) ascends vertically, and is slightly overlapped from within by the thyroid body. The anatomy of the space is well developed, in considering the best mode of reaching the carotid artery: a vertical incision falling on the sterno-clavicular joint exposes the superficial fascia and part of the platysma ”

“ Origin (Fig. 90, 2) .—From the ventral surface of the tuberosity of the ischium by tendon- and muscle-fibres. The fibres diverge, and near the knee the mass has spread out, ending in a fascia. The dorsal border of the muscle and the common fascia are continuous dorsad with the superficial fascia of the thigh and with the tendon of the caudofemoralis (Fig. 68, s) . Ventrad it is continuous with the superficial fascia of the shank.
Insertion into rather more than the proximal one-third of the dorsal border of the tibia along its lateral margin and into the lateral margin of the patella. ”

“ The head should be laid back to enable this to be done, and ought to be kept in that position by an assistant. The artery at this part of the neck is covered by the integuments, the platysma myoides muscle, and the fascia. After the muscle has been divided, the strong fascia must be carefully raised with the forceps and opened, and the operator will do wisely if he divide it upward and downward on a director. With the end of the scalpel or a blunt knife he should separate the cellular tissue from the veins, which appear in this situation, and are often the source of much embarrassment. ”

“ By making an incision on the linear guide in any one of the thirds the tissues that must be passed through are the following:—skin, platysma muscle, superficial fascia, deep fascia, common sheath, and the individual sheath.
The platysma muscle is a broad tissue paper like muscle, placed immediately beneath the skin and a part of the superficial fascia, in the cervicle or neck region. It arises by thin fibrous bands from the fascia covering the pectoral and deltoid muscles on the thoracic wall, and passes upward over the clavicle and inserts the lower jaw. ”

“ Usually situated at the extremities of the fleshy fascia, they sometimes however occupy the middle, as we see in the digastric muscle; they are almost always found at the most moveable extremity, that which serves for support having aponeuroses for insertion, as we see especially on the fore-arm and the leg, of which all the muscles inserted above by broad osseous or aponeurotic surfaces, terminate below by a more or less slender tendon. ”

“ The doctor of medicine does effectual work through the medium of the fascia. Why not you relax, contract, stimulate and clean the whole system of all diseases by that willing and sufficient power to renovate all parts of the system, from deadly compounds that generate through delay and stagnation of fluids while in the fascia.
Our school is young, but the laws that govern life are as old as the hours of all ages. We may find much that has never been written nor practiced before, but all such discoveries are truths born with the birth of eternity, old as God and as true as life. ”