Mikrokosmographia a description of the body of man. Together vvith the controuersies thereto belonging. Collected and translated out of all the best authors of anatomy, especially out of Gasper Bauhinus and Andreas Laurentius. By Helkiah Crooke Doctor of Physicke, physitian to His Maiestie, and his Highnesse professor in anatomy and chyrurgerie. Published by the Kings Maiesties especiall direction and warrant according to the first integrity, as it was originally written by the author.

CHAP. XV. Of the differences of Fibres.

THE differences of Fibres are to bee taken from their site, hardnesse, sense, texture and from the variety of the Organs. From the site they are called Right, Transuerse and Oblique, for if they run lengthwise then they are cal∣led * 1.1 Right fibres. If they run according to the breadth and intersect or cut the right, then are they called Trāsuerse or round and circular fibres. If they haue a middle situation and intersect both the right and the transuerse at vnequal angles, then are they called Oblique fibres. The office of the right fibres is to draw, the office of the transuerse to expell and that of the oblique to retaine. If the right fibres worke alone then the length of the part is shortned and attraction made, if onely the transuerse bee contracted then the latitude or breadth is diminished and expulsion made, but if all the fibres together, the right, the oblique and the transuerse be intended, then the whole part

is contracted and retention made which also they call Amplexation. Retention therfore is made not when any one kind of fiber doth worke, but when all are in action together; for so when we would firmely retaine any thing in our hands we compasse i•• about on e∣uery side, yet the oblique fibres are said peculiarly to retaine, because when they are con∣tracted * 1.2 they do onely imbrace, for they compasse the part on euery side constringing and closing together the particles thereof: but the right and the transuerse fibres when they are contracted do not only serue for retentiō, but these for expulsion & those for traction.

The second difference of fibres may be taken from the hardnes, for some are hard & strong as those of the heart, for the feruent force of the inbred heat did require so much, as also the perpetuall agitation of his necessary motion, others are softer as the fibres of * 1.3 muscles.

The third difference is taken from their sense. Of fibres some are sensible as those which arise from nerues. Others insensible as those that proceede from the ligaments of * 1.4 bones. If you regard the texture of fibres, some are so permixed that they make a conti∣nuall body, so true membranes haue their fibres, yea they are nothing else but fibres con∣ioyned one within another. Others are separated from the substance of the part and haue another vse beside the vse of the part, and these are eyther simple as in the muscles (for all * 1.5 the muscles excepting a very few haue but one kind of fibres, eyther right, or transuerse, or oblique) or manifold, and so wouen together that no arte is able to make separation between them.

So the flesh of the heart is wouen with al 3 kinds of fibres & in the naturall organs which serue for natural motion, if the part haue one proper coat, as a veyne, the womb, the two bladders, then in that coat are al the fibres placed; but if it haue two coats one external the * 1.6 the other internal, then are the transuerse fibres placed in the external coat, & the right •••• oblique in the internal. From this general rule you must except the guts and the arteries, because the guts do serue for distribution and excretion, and the arteries for the expurga∣tion of the heart. Now nature is more carefull for the expulsion of that which is hurtfull then for the traction of that which is profitable. * 1.7

The last difference of fibres is taken from the variety of Organs, some serue the ani∣mall Organs, as the muscles, the nerues, the ligaments, and the tendons: others serue the vitall, as the heart and the arteries: others the naturall, as the Gullet, the Stomacke, the Guts, the Bladders, the wombe, and the veynes. But what euery one of these fibres in their seuerall courses doe performe, and how they are disposed in the parts, we haue declared before in the particular history of euery part. And thus much concerning the fibres: Now we pro∣ceede vnto our last taske of the Bones.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The differen∣ces of fibres
• * 1.2

  How Retenti∣on is made.
• * 1.3

  The second difference.
• * 1.4

  The third.
• * 1.5

  The fourth.
• * 1.6

  How the fi∣bres are pla∣ced in the Necturall or∣gans.
• * 1.7

  The last dif∣ference.