An Account of a Book

same nature with the extravasated humours. What was contained in the lesser ones proved to be of different colour and consistence, not unlike Gelly, White of Eggs, Gall, and Honey; in some it was much like the humour of a true Meliceris. I must observe, that there was but little matter extravasated in the Cavity of the Abdomen; most part was contained betwixt the Peritoneum and the Muscles. The Right Kidney was effected with a particular Dropsie; all the Viscera besides were in a natural state, two Polypus's were found in the Heart, and two pretty big Stones in the Gall Bladder. --- An Account of a Book, By James Douglas, M.D. V. De Aure Humana Tractatus; In quo integra Auris Fabrica, multis novis Inventis, & Iconis- mis illustrata, describitur; omniumque ejus Partium Usus indagantur. Quibus interposita est Musculorum Uvulae, atque Pharyngis nova Descriptio, & Delineatio. Auctore Antonio Maria Valsalva Imolensi, Philosophiae & Medicinae Doctore, in Bononiensi Universitate ad Incisionem & Ostensionem Anatomicam Professore Condueto, necnon Nosocomii Incurabilium Chirurgo. Bononiae MDCCIV. In Quarto. The Author divides the Humane Ear into three Cavities, viz. the External, which contains the Auricle, and the Auditory passage; The Middle, which com- comprehends the *Tympanum*, or Cavity of the Barrel, in which are the four little Bones, &c. And the Internal, which contains the Labyrinth, which he farther divides into the *Vestibulum*, Semicircular Canals and *Cochlea*. The Prominence called *Helix* ends in the Lobe of the Ear, which it constitutes, and that called *Anthelix* terminates in the *Antitragus*. He gives the common Names to the Cavities that lie between the Eminencies of the Auricle, and divides the *Concha* into two Cavities, viz. the Superior and Inferior. Under the Skin of the Auricle he takes notice of a great number of Glands, which, from the likeness of the Humour they separate to that of Tallow or *Sebum*, he calls *Glandulae Sebacea*: Which Liquor being carried to the surface of the Skin, he aliedges hardens there, and turns into a scaly greasy substance, much like to that of Bran. That there are abundance of such Glands under the Skin of the Head, he thinks that the greatness of the Hair, and the Dandriff that's combed from the Head, may be a sufficient proof. The Lobe of the Ear, and the lower part of the *Helix*, are made up of a duplicature of the common Integuments, without any Cartilage: In no part of the Auricle, except in these two, is the *Membrana adiposa* conspicuous. Besides the commonly described Processes or Eminencies of the Auricle, formed by the Windings of its Cartilage, he takes notice of another that's small and acute, situate near the beginning of the auditory passage. He has discovered some little Glands, of the Conglobate or Lymphatic kind, which, with respect to their situation upon the *Tragus*, he calls *Glandulae Tragi*: These are sometimes three in number, sometimes two, but for the most part there's only one of them to be found in each Auricle. To the four external Muscles of the Auricle, described by Casserius, he adds a new one of his own discovery, and names it, Musculus Auriculae Anterior. It springs from the Investing Membrane of the Temporal Muscle, above that part of the Zygoma, which proceeds from the Os temporis: Thence running straight down, it splits into two parts, one being inserted into the fore part of the superior Cavity of the Concha; the other a little higher into the fore part of the Cavity of the Scapha. He says the posterior Muscles of the Auricula vary as to their number in different subjects; there being sometimes four, and sometimes but two of them; yet for the most part there are three in each Auricle. Besides these, he describes two Internal Muscles belonging to this part; which he says none has hitherto taken notice of: One he calls Musculus Tragi, the other Musculus anti-tragins, according to their situation; but in Bodies lean and emaciated they are not to be seen, as he owns himself. He has discovered a new Ligament, which fastens the Auricle to the Processus Zygomaticus of the Temple Bone: Upon filling the Meatus auditorius with Wax, he observes that in the beginning it ascends a little, then about its middle it's crooked downwards; again it runs upwards and then downwards to the Membrana Tympani, by which it is obliquely shut. He describes the Ineifurae, or Slits in the cartilaginous part of this passage, more accurately than Mons. Duverney has done. When the Membrana Adiposa comes to the beginning of this Meatus, its Fleshy Fibres are spread upon it in a reticular manner, and in the Area's or spaces between, the Glands which separate the Cerumen are placed. The Cavity of this Auditory Tube in a Fetus is very much contracted, and filled with a whitish stuff, which in process of time dries, falls off, and comes out with the the Cerumen; yet sometimes it hardens into a Membrane, which sticking close to the Membrana Tympani, hinders the free access of the Air, and so causes a Deafness, till it is removed by Art. Our Author observes in the back part of the Auricle a Vein, which he says none has hitherto taken notice of, and calls it Occipitalis, because it receives several Twigs from other parts about the Occiput, from all which it brings back the refluent Blood into the lateral Sinus's, piercing the Cranium at a hole behind the Processus Mamillaris. None of the branchings of the hard portion of the Auditory Nerve are spread upon the backside of the Auricle, as some write and delineate, for the Nerves that supply that part come out between the first and second Vertebrae colli: A twig of this Nerve running upon the back of the Antitragus is sometimes successfully cauterized in the Tooth-ach. It's very probable, that there are Lymphaticks both in the Auricle and Auditory passage. That the Membrana Tympani is made up of two Membranes is very apparent in a Fetus; the innermost of which is from the Dura mater, and the outermost is only an expansion or continuation of that fine Skin that invests the Meatus Auditorius. He thinks the passing of the Smoke of Tobacco from the Mouth by the Ears, the evacuating of Pus, &c. from the Barrel the same way, seem to evince the necessity of a Perforation, or Hiatus, in the Membrana Tympani; tho none of his repeated Experiments were so successful as to discover it hitherto. He reckons the Sinus's of the Processus Mamillares, which are divided into several Cavernous Cells, as part of the cavity of the Barrel, because they communicate with it: And in some other Animals, where these Sinus's are wanting, the Cavitas Tympani is considerably larger. The head of the Malleus lies hid in the beginning of the Sinus Mastoides, but is no ways connected thereto. In its Manubrium or Handle he demonstrates three Processes, which he names major, minor and minimus. To the three Muscles of the Malleus, he gives the same names of its Processes to which they are inserted. Musculus processus majoris, first discovered by Eustachius, rises from the Cartilaginous part of the Tuba Eustachiana, and not from that Bony Canal, which runs laterally upon the Osseous part of the same; then running along that Canal, it enters the Barrel, where its Tendon being inflected a little downwards, is inserted in the Processus malleoli major. He says, that none have taken notice of the true Origin of this Muscle before him, notwithstanding its rising from the Tube, does very much conduce to Hearing. Musculus processus minoris, is the laxator auris externus: he reprehends some modern Anatomist for omitting the description of this Muscle, tho fairly described by J. Casserius long ago. Musculus processus minimi begins at the side of the Barrel that's next the Face, and running along the same, it comes to its Insertion, being inflected under the Chorda Tympani, in the smallest process of this Bone. The Incus is joyned by small Ligaments to the Malleus, whence these Bones have either no motion at all, or but a very obscure one between themselves. The long Leg of the Incus runs parallel with the handle of the Malleus, whose extremity is crooked a little downwards: Its shortest Leg is connected to the side of the Sinus Mamillares by a Ligament, which yet allows it a small motion. The Bone that Sylvius discovered should be called Ovale, from its Figure, and not Orbiculare, since it's not round. The Figure of the Basis of the Stapes comes nigh an Elliptick, yet its margin is a little defective on one side. Its convex is towards the Labyrinthis Vestibulum, and Concave towards its Head. Its Bony substance is so thin, that it is almost almost transparent; and not pierced with holes, as a certain Modern describes it. The Sides or Branches of the Stapes are furrowed on the inside; the space between being sometimes shut with a Membrane, and often but half shut; but for the most part he observes no Membrane at all between them. The Stapes stands on the Foramen Oval in a middle position, between Vertical and Horizontal; it shuts this hole exactly, being fastened to its Margin by a thin Membrane, but yet so loosely, that it has the freedom of moving up and down; which motion he thinks contributes much to Hearing; for upon opening the Ear of one that had been very long deaf, he observed, that the Ossification of this very Membrane was the only cause of his deafness. The fleshy Belly of the Musculus Stapes, first discovered in a Horse by Casserius Placentinus, is contained in a Bony Channel, excavated about the middle of the true Fallopian aqueduct, laterally from which its Tendon is obliquely carried to the head of the Stirrup. Tho' those four little Bones have no Periostium, yet several Blood Vessels run upon them, and enter their Substance, which is very compact and hard; the Stapes indeed is something brittle, not because its more porous than the rest, but because it consists only but of one Bony Lamella. The Fenestra rotunda he sometimes observes to be of an Oval Figure: The Membrane that shuts it is fasten'd lower down than its Margin. He describes several small holes that pierce the Cranium, and open into the Tympanum just above the articulation of the Malleus and Incus, by these extravasated Blood or Purulent Matter, contain'd within the Skull, may be carried into the Cavity of the Barrel; from whence they may either pass thro' the Hiatus in the Membrana Tympani, or else by the Tuba Eustachii, and so be evacuated by the Mouth. He proves the existence of such holes by injection, and two practical observations. The Duct that goes from the Ear to the Palate, he calls from its Figure and first observer, Bartholomeus Eustachius, Tuba Eustachiana; it consists of a Bony, Cartilaginous, Membranous and Fleshy part. The Membrane that lines it is full of Glands. For, to dilate and keep this Tube open, he has found out a new Muscle, which moves Tubic Musculus, as he calls it, rises Fleshy from that portion of the Tube that's between the beginning of its Cartilaginous part and its extremity; hence descending obliquely by the lower part of the Internal Ala of the Processus Pterygoides, it becomes Tendonous, which growing broader again, is so inserted into the Inferior Margin of the Membrane, that covers the Foramina narium; where it joyns with its fellow on the other side. The Uvula, which he considers as part of the Pharynx, is moved by three pair of Muscles, one known long ago, but ill describ'd, and two new ones discovered by himself. 1. Salpingo-staphilinus, it rises from the Interior Bony part of the Eustachian Tube, whence it descends obliquely to its Insertion into the Basis of the Uvula, where it joyns its Fibres with its Partner-Muscle on the other side. 2. Glosso-staphilinus, this comes from the lower part of the Tongue, and ends near the middle of the Uvula. 3. Pharngo-staphilinus, it has a large and broad beginning from the lower part of the Pharynx, whence ascending and passing under the Tonilla, it terminates at the side of the Uvula laterally. When we Inspect the Mouth of a living person, the two Arches or Risings we observe at the sides of the Uvula proceed from the swelling of the two last described Muscles. In the Pharynx he observes three Orifices, one that leads to the Mouth, another to the Nose, and a third to the Oesophagus; all which are dilated and contracted by the following Muscles, whose descriptions do extremely agree with the Life, as I also observed in the same Subject. 1. Pharingo-staphilinus, or Staphilo-pharingeus, it's the same with the third Muscle of the Uvula, and serves the motions of both in common, being by some falsely called Cephalo-Pharyngeus. 2. Gloso-Pharyngeus. Falsly called by some Sphæno-Pharyngeus. Its origin is in common with the Gloso-staphilinus, whence it goes round the upper part of the Pharinx, uniting with its fellow of the other side by a Tendinous line. 3. Stylo-pharingeus. He adds nothing to the known description of this Muscle. 4. Hyopharyngeus. This has a double Origin, one from the Horns of the Os Hyoides, the other from the Cartilaginous Appendages near the Basis of that Bone; from whence it surrounds part of the Pharynx, and joyns with its Partner by a middleline. He adds, that a Violent contraction of this pair of Muscles may cause a luxation of the foresaid Appendages, which hinders deglutition till reduced. 5. Thyropharyngeus. Rises from the sides of the Cartilago Thyroidea, and like the former, goes round the Pharynx, uniting with its fellow in its middle and back part. 6. Cricopharyngeus. Rises from the Cartilage of that name, and like a Sphincter surrounds the beginning of the Oesophagus. Tho I design'd not at this time to have made any remarks upon what our Author advances in this Treatise, referring that to another opportunity, yet I cannot refrain from one reflexion en passant; which is this: Had the accurate Valsalva read and examin'd what Mr Cowper has wrote some time since, of the Muscular Structure of the Fauces in his excellent Book of reformed Myotomy, an Abstract of which our Author might have seen in the Acta Eruditorum, published anno 1696. Suppl. Tom. ii. pag. 588. He had certainly obliged us with a better and more compleat account of its Muscles, for he has wholly omitted the most considerable part of Mr Cowper's Musculus Pterigopharyngeus, which rises from the *Processus Pterigoides*, being satisfied with describing only the lower part of it, which springs from the Tongue and the *Os Hyoides*, which he makes to be two pair of distinct Muscles. I wonder how he came to overlook this, which I always observed to appear in Dissection, as Mr Comper has described it, since his happy Industry has lead him to the discovery of several parts in the Ear, &c. which are not to be found in any Book extant. He says the *Musculus Chondroglossus*, described by a certain Modern, is not always to be found. The Artery that furnishes this Cavity with Blood goes off from the Carotide, while in its oblique Canal in the *Os Petrosum*: And the Vein that carries back the reflucent Blood opens into the *Diverticulum* of the *Jugular Vein*. He thinks it may have Lymphaticks as well as the external Cavity of the Ear. He reckons the *Chorda Tympani* to be a twig of the *Portio dura*. He says, that there are twelve Orifices that open into the *Vestibulum*, viz.: the *Fenestra Ovalis*, the five Orifices of the Semicircular Canals, one of the Canals of the *Cochlea*, and five holes that admit so many twigs of the *Portio molitis Nervi Auditorii*. He distinguishes the Semicircular Canals into the *major*, *minor* or *minimus*. He is very nice in adjusting the different lengths of these Canals, and the proportions they bear to one another in their Diameters, which are different in different subjects, but always alike in both Ears of the same subject. The *Cochlea* consists of a *Modiolus* or *Cone* and a *Septum*, which divides it into two Canals, which he calls *Scala*; that which respects the *Fenestra rotunda* is the *Scala Tympani* or *Superior*; the other which communicates with the *Vestibulum* he calls the *Vestibuli Scala*: He is also very curious in ascertaining taining the difference between the two Scale: He remarks that Modern Anatomists do err in the position of these Scale or turnings; for what they call the superior he rightly names the inferior, &c. è contrà. Its Septum is made up of two substances, one hard but very friable, call'd Lamina Spiralis, the other soft, thin and pellucid, which he calls by a new name Zona Cochleæ. The Canal, by which the Auditory Nerves enter, he divides into the common, which admits both the soft and hard pair together, and the particular, which contains only the Portio Dura: He observes that it's this particular Canal in which the hard portion lies, that Follopius first discover'd and nam'd it, ob similitudinem, Aqueductus: The Tuba Eustachii is very faulty, tho' now commonly so call'd. He observes, that as the Portio dura turns aside from the common Channel into its own, it detaches one Branch, which going out at a hole in the inside of the Os Petrosum, spreads itself upon the Dura Mater and Trunk of the 5th pair of Nerves in several small Twigs. In the bottom of the common Canal, he takes notice of three small Sinuosities or Cavities, one descends towards the Centre of the Cochlea, in which are several holes for the entry of part of the Portio mollis, where it is dilated into a very fine Membrane which makes the Zona Cochleæ; the second goes towards the Vestibulum, through which the Portio mollis enters by five holes, where its twigs or branchings are presently expanded into a very fine Membrane, which lines all its surface, being further continu'd thro' all the Semicircular ducts: This Nervous expansion, from its resemblance to a very thin and narrow Ribbond or Fillet, he calls Zona, and from its use, Sonora, of which he reckons three, according to the number of Canals: He says, these Zona Sonora, are very conspicuous in several Quadrupedes, and in Volatilis especially. The Labyrinth has both Veins and Arteries, tho' its Cavity is not invested with any Periostium for to support them, but whether they proceed from those diffused thro' the Os Petrosum, or if they enter together with the Auditory Nerves, he cannot positively determine. He doubts not but these Vessels are also accompanied with Lymphatics, as well as those of the Retina, as he has observed in the Eye of an Ox. For the use of the Parts, on which our Author is exceeding large, I refer the Reader to the Book itself, which is inriched with a number of curious Cuts, especially of the parts relating to the Ear, drawn from the Life, and well Engraven. London, Printed for Sam. Smith and Benj. Walford, Printers to the Royal Society, at the Princes Arms in St. Paul's Church-yard, 1705.