iisiiSipil BunK£%(nk ; ^ *j ».'-.> g&i ®Sti ii [£ OWEN PHELAN, 3 > CHEAP BOOK STORE, n. The depressor labii inferioris, n. The buccinator. o. The masseter. p. The temporal fascia, or aponeurosis. 2. The parotid gland, which supplies the mouth with saliva. 3. Steno’s duct, to conduct the fluid into the mouth. 4. The temporal artery. 5. The facial artery. Farts seen in the neck. q. The sterno-cleido mastoideus. r. The omo-hyoideus. s. The sterno-hyoideus. t. The sternothyroideus. m. The digastricus. v. The stylo-hyoideus. The mylo-hyoideus. 6. The submaxillary gland , — also pours saliva into the mouth. 7. The external jugular vein. S. The sheath containing the carotid artery. (54 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Name. Orbicularis oris.* Depressor labii superions aleque nasi. Constrictor nasi. Levator menti vel labii in- ferioris. MUSCLES OF THE Superior auris, or attoliens aurem. Anterior auris. Posterior auris, or retrahens auris. Helicis major. Helicis minor. Tragicus. Antitragus. Transversus auris. ' MUSCLES OF THE Laxator tympani. Tensor tympani. Stapedius. Arises from This muscle surrounds the lips, and is in a great measure formed by the buccinator, zy- gomatici, and others, which move the lip. The sockets of the upper incisor teeth. The root of one wing of the nose, and Tire lower jaw, at the root of the incisors. EXTERNAL EAR. The tendon -of the occipito- frontalis above the ear. Near the back part of the zygoma. The mastoid process, by two and sometimes three fas- ciculi. The upper, anterior, and acute part of the helix. The interior and anterior part of the helix. The outer and middle part of the concha, near the tragus. From the root of the inner part of the helix. The upper part of the con- cha. INTERNAL EaR. The spinous process of the sphienoid bone. The cartilaginous extremity of the Eustachian tube. A little cavern in the pe- trous portion, near the cells of the mastoid process. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 65 Inserted into The root of the ala nasi and upper lip. goes across to the other. The skin in the centre of the chin. MUSCLES OF THE The root of the cartilagi- nous tube of the ear. The eminence behind the helix. The septum that divides the scapha and concha. The cartilage of the helix, a little above the tragus. The crus of the helix. The upper part of the tra- gus. The upper part of the anti- tragus. The inner part of the helix. MUSCLES OF THE The long process of the malleus. The handle of the malleus. The posterior part of the head of the stapes. 6 * Use. To shut the mouth, by con- tracting the lips. To pull the ala nasi and upper lip down. To compress the wings of the nose. To raise the under lip and skin of the chin. EXTERNAL EAR. To draw the ear upward, and make it tense. To raise this eminence for- ward. To draw the ear back, and stretch the concha. To depress the upper part of the helix. To contract the fissure. To depress the concha, and pull the tragus a little out- ward. To dilate the mouth of the concha. To draw these parts toward each other. INTERNAL EAR. To draw the malleus ob- liquely forward, toward its origin. To pull the malleus and membrane of the tympanum toward the petrous portion. To draw the stapes oblique- ly upward toward the cavern. m ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. MUSCLES OF THE LOWER JAW. Name. • Temporalis. Masseter. Pterygoideus internus. Pterygoideus externus. ./Irises from The lower part of the pari- etal bone and os frontis ; squamous part of the tempo- ral bone : back part of the os jugale ; the temporal process of the sphsenoid bone, and the aponeurosis which covers it. The sup. max. bone, near the os jugale; and from the anterior part of the zygoma. The internal pterygoid pro- cess of the sphtenoid bone. The external pterygoid pro- cess. MUSCLES ABOUT THE NECK. Platysma myoides. The cellular membrane cov- ering the pectoral and deltoid muscles. Sterno-cleido-mastoideus. The upper part of the ster- num, and fore part of the clav- icle. Fig. 33. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 67 muscles of the lower jaw. Inserted into The coronxnd process of the lower jaw, its fibres being' bundled together and pressed into a small compass, so as to pass under the jugum, or zyg- oma. The angle of the lower jaw upwards to the basis of the corOnoid process. The lower jaw on its inner side, and near its angle. The condyloid process of the lower jaw and capsular ligament. Use. To move the lower jaw up ward. To raise and move the jaw a little forward and back- ward. To raise the lower jaw, and draw it a little to one side. To move the jaw, and to prevent the ligament of the jaw from being pinched. MUSCLES ABOUT THE NECK. The side of the chin and integuments of the cheek. To draw the cheeks and skin of the face downward. The mastoid process, and as To move the head to one far back as the occipital su- side and bend it forward, ture. Explanation of Fig. 33. A, and b. sterno cleido mastoid eus ; h. stylo hyoidens ; g, g, the two bellies of the digastricus ; f, sterno hyoidens ; i, the lower end of the mastoideus ot the right side; e, omo hyoidens; d, the 09 hyoides ; c, the clavicle; k, complexus. Under the sterno cleido mastoid muscle, bounded by the letters a and b, in the opposite drawing, are a vaiiety of b< aulilul, libbon- like muscles, which are generally attached to the bone of the tongue, and the vocal box, — called the larynx , which is the protu- berance in the front part of the throat. Again, those muscles which arise about the base of the skull, under the ear, and angle of the under jaw, are also inserted into the same places, — so that the bone and larynx are moveable fulcrums, — increasing the power of the muscles on cither side, by changing their position. By this simple contrivance, the contraction of the muscles compress the windpipe, and thus increase, or vary the tone of the voice, by diminishing the diameter of the air tube. Thus, bad singers in sounding a high note stretch back the head ; thus, too, unconsciously press the musical pipe into the smallest diameter. To sound a bass note, the chin is brought towards the bi east, — and the same muscles are relaxed, and the diameter of the tube is at once ir.cieased. 63 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. MUSCLES SITUATED BETff] OF T Name. Digastricus. Mylo-hyoideus. Genio-hyoideus. Genio-glossus. Hyo-glossus. Lingualis. MUSCLES SITUATED BETWEEN Sterno-hyoideus. Omo-hyoideus. Sterno-thyroideus. Thyreo-hyoideus, or Ilyo- thyroideus. Crico-thyroideus. THE LOWER JAW AND BONE TONGUE. Arises from A fossa at the root of the mastoid process. The inner surface of the jaw bone. The inside of the chin. The inside of the chin. The horn, basis, and carti- lage of the os hyoides. The root of the tongue lat- erally. THE os HYOIDES AND TRUNK. The sternum and clavicle. Near the coracoid process of the scapula. The upper and inner part of the sternum. Part of the basis and horn of the os hyoides. The side of the cricoid cartilage. MUSCLES SITUATED BETWEEN THE LOWER JAW AND OS HYOIDES, Stylo-glossus. Stylo-hyoideus. Stylo-pharyngeus. Circumflexus, or Tensor palati. Levator palati mollis. LATERALLY. The apex of the styloid process. The basis, and about the middle of the styloid process. The root of the styloid pro- cess. Near the Eustachian tube, and passes through the hamu- lus of the pterygoid process, to be The point of the os petros- um, the Eustachian tube, and sphsenoid bone. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 69 MUSCLES SITUATED BETWEEN THE LOWER JAW AND BONE OF THE TONGUE. Inserted, into The lower and anterior part of the chin. The basis of the os hyoides. The basis of the os hyoides. The tongue, forming part of its substance. Into the tongue laterally. The extremity of the tongue. Use. To draw the lower jaw downward. To move the os hyoides up- ward. To move the os hyoides up- ward. To move the tongue in va- rious directions. To draw the tongue down- ward and inward. To shorten and draw the tongue backward. MUSCLES SITUATED BETWEEN The basis of the os hyoides. The basis of the os hyoides. The thyroid cartilage. The side of the thyroid car- tilage. The inferior horn of the thyroid cartilage. THE OS HYOIDES AND TRUNK. To draw the os hjoides downward. To draw the os hyoides downward. To pull the thyroid cartilage downward. To raise the cartilage, and depress the bone. To pull the thyroid cartil- age towards the cricoid. os MUSCLES SITUATED BETWEEN THE LOWER JAW AND HYOIDES, LATERALLY. The side of the root of the tongue. The basis of the os hyoides. The edge of the pharynx, and back of the thyroid carti- lage. The velum pendulum pal- ati. To pull the tongue back- ward. To draw the os hyoides up- ward. To dilate the pharynx, and raise the cartilage. To draw the velum pendu- lum palati obliquely down- ward, and stretch it. The velum pendulum pal- ati, being expanded upon it. To pull the velum pendu- lum backward and upward. 70 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. MUSCLES SITUATED ABOUT THE ENTRY OF THE FAUCES. Name. Constrictor faucium. Palato-Pharyngeus. Azygos uvulae.* Jl rises from Near the root of the tongue, on each side, and goes round to be The middle of the soft palate, goes round the entry of the fauces, the tendon of the circumflexus palati, and velum pendulum palati, to be The commissure of the ossa palati. MUSCLES SITUATED ON THE POSTERIOR PART OF THE PHARYNX. Constrictor pharyngius infe- rior. Constrictor pharyngius me- dius. Constrictor pharyngius su- perior. The cricoid ar.d thyroid cartilages. The horns, and appendix of the os hyoides. The pterygoid process, the lower jaw, and the cuneiform process of the os occipitis. MUSCLES SITUATED ABOUT THE GLOTTIS. Crico-arytenoideus posti- cus. Crico-arytiEnoideus later- alis, or obliquus. Thyreo-arytenoideus. Arytenoideus obliquus.* Arytenoideus transversus.* Thyreo-epiglottideus. Aryteno-epiglottideus. The cricoid cartilage poste- riorly. The side of the cricoid car- tilage. The back of the thyroid cartilage. The root of one arytenoid cartilage- One of the arytenoid car- tilages. The thyroid cartilage. The upper part of the ary- tenoid cartilage laterally. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 71 MUSCLES SITUATED ABOUT THE ENTRY OF THE FAUCES. Inserted into The middle of the velum pendulum palati, near the uvula. The upper and posterior part of the thyroid cartilage. The extremity of the uvula. Use. To raise the tongue, and draw the velum toward it. To contract the arch of the fauce. To shorten and raise the uvula. MUSCLES SITUATED ON THE POSTERIOR PART OF THE PHARYNX. The middle of the pharynx. The ambit of the pharynx. The middle of the pharynx. MUSCLES SITUATED The back of the arytienoid cartilage. The side of the arytenoid cartilage. The fore part of the aryte- noid cartilage. The extremity of the other. The other arytenoid carti- lage. The side of the epiglottis. The side of the epiglottis. To compress part of the pharynx. To compress the pharynx, and draw the os hyoides up- ward. To move the pharynx up- ward and forward, and to compress its upper part. BOUT THE GLOTTIS. To open the glottis. To open the glottis. To draw the arytenoid car- tilage forward. To draw them toward each other. To shut the glottis. To pull the epiglottis ob- liquely downward. To move the epiglottis out- ward. 72 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. MUSCLES SITUATED ON THE ANTERIOR PART OF THE ABDOMEN. .Arises from, The lower edges of the eight inferior ribs near the cartilages. The spinous processes of the three last lumbar verte- bra, back of the sacrum, and spine of the ilium. the ilium. Rectus abdominis. The outside of the sternum and xyphoid cartilage. Pyramidalis. The anterior upper part of J the pubis. Name. Obliquus descendens exter- nus. Obliquus ascendens inter- nus. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 73 MUSCLES SITUATED ON THE ANTERIOR PART OF THE ABDOMEN. Inserted into Use. The linea alba, ossa pubis, To compress the abdomen, and spine of the ilium. The cartilages of all the To compress the abdomen, false ribs, linea alba, and pu- bis, and sternum, by a flat tendon. Explanation of Fig. 34. g. The obliquus internus, with its tendon divided, to show h. The pyramidalis. i. The rectus, abdominis. Beneath the internal oblique there is situated k. The transversalis abdominalis, and l. The fascia transversalis. The tendons of the abdominal muscles, form junctions in front, where their broad white tendons meet, which are denominated lines ; — and that which runs exactly in the middle, from the lower point of the sternum, to the pubis, is the linea alba or white line. Again, the long abdominal muscles, lying each side of this linea alba, are intersected, several times, between their two extremities, by similar tendinous lines, which, in reality, divides them into a chain of muscles. This structure has reference to increasing their power, by a series of contractions, along their course, which thereby answers a second intention, viz, preserving a symmetry of form. By consulting' Fig. 34, page 72, bolh the vertical and transverse lines are discoverable. Statues representing action, invariably' exhibit the muscles of the bowels thrown into ridges. Upon the princi- ples adverted to in the preliminary essay on myology, without these transverse bands, the bellies of the long recti muscle, in order to pull the chest, as in stooping for example, while seated in a chair, so as to bring the breast down to the knees, would have a bulk, by the process of contraction, equal to a two quart measure. B the introduction of the transverse tendinous lines, two vastly im; (rant results are obtained, — increased power and beauty of form. The linea alba throughout To compress the abdominal its whole length, and into the viscera, ensiform cartilage. The side of the symphysis of the pubis. The linea alba, below the umbilicus. To compress the abdomen, and bend the trunk. To assist the lower portion of the rectus. 7 74 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK,' MUSCLES SITUATED WITHIN THE PELVIS. Name. Obturator internus. Coccygeus. Jh'ises from The foramen ovale, obtura- tor ligament, ilium, ischium, and pubis. The spinous process of the ischium. MUSCLES SITUATED WITHIN THE CAVITY OF THE ABDOMEN. Quadratus lumborum. The posterior part of the spine of the ilium. Psoas parvus. The transverse process of the last dorsal vertebra. Fig. 35. Explanation of Fig 35 K. The iliacus internus. R. The psoas magnus. S. The obturator exter- nus. S ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 75 MUSCLES SITUATED Inserted into A large pit between the tro- chanters of the femur. The extremity of the sa- crum and os coccygis. WITHIN THE PELVIS. Use. To roll the femur obliquely outward. To move the coccyx for- ward and inward. MUSCLES SITUATED WITHIN THE CAVITY OF THE ABDOMEN. The transverse apophyses To support the spine and of the loins and last spurious draw it to one side, rib. The brim of the pelvis, To bend the loins forward, near the place of the aceta- bulum. On the inside of the broad hip bone, os innominatum, seen on the opposite page, Fig. 35, and also running up by the side of the lumbar vertebrae, thiee muscles have their oiigin, — that bear a highly im- portant part in the locomotive power of the body. In these, as in every other place in the system, a two fold intention is answered. First, — these thiee muscles are cushions, — on which the coils of the intestines rest. Without them, some other provision would have been necessary, as a soft bed is indispensable for then. , in the violent exercises of running, leaping, or even walking Secondly, the tendons of the psoas magnus and iliacus internus, are sent over the brim of the pelvis, to wind down the inside of the groin, close to the bone, to reach the backside of the thigh bone, where they are fast- ened. Obscure as they are, these muscles, when standing on our feet, maintain the body in an erect position. If we desire to move forward, these muscles lift up the whole limb, — and when they re- lax, the foot strikes the ground again. If, while sitting, the knee is raised towards the chest, the act is accomplished by these two mus- cles. In walking and running, therefore, as they are the lifters-up of the leg, their services could not be dispensed with. A lumbar abscess, a painful disease, wholly forbidding the movement of the limb of the side in which it occurs, is a collection of matter under the psoas magnus, and next to the back bone, near the line R, on the plate. As the abscess cannot be very safely discharged by a surgical operation, through the muscles ol the back, in protracted cases, the matter sometimes follows the muscles, quite into the limb, and forces its way down, even to the knee, before it escapes. This dreadfu^disease has been induced, by lying on the damp ground, after freely exercising; and by unnecessary feats of strength, in lifting burdens, in the careless days of youthful vigor. 76 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Name. Psoas magnus. lliacus interims. Arises from The bodies and processes of the last dorsal and all the lumbar vertebrae. The internal surface of the spine of the ilium. MUSCLES SITUATED ON THE ANTERIOR PART OF THE THORAX. Pectoralis major. The clavicle, sternum and seven true ribs. Fig. 36. Stibclavius. The cartilage of the first rib. The third, fourth, and fifth ribs. Pectoralis minor. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 77 Inserted into Use. The os femoris, a little be- To bend the thigh forward, low the trochanter minor. The femur in common with To assist the psoas magnus. the psoas magnus. MUSCLES SITUATED ON THE ANTERIOR PART OF THE THORAX. The upper and inner part of To draw the arm forward, the humerus. or obliquely forward. Explanation of Fig. 36. а. The pectoralis major. б. b. The obliquus abdominis externus descendens : beneath these muscles the following: — c. The pectoralis minor. d. The serratus magnus antieus. e. The external intercostal muscles. f. The internal intercostal muscles. g. The obliquus abdominis internus ascendens. By returning to the anatomy of the ribs, it is there shown that they are constructed to move : — breathing is effected by increasing and diminishing the capacity of the chest, as the lungs are inflated or collapsed. To carry on this operation, an appropriate class of muscles take their rise on, and about the libs and sternum, to be ex- clusively engaged in this respitory action. Between the edges of the ribs, short oblique muscles, one the internal and the other the external , crossing each other, like suspenders on a man’s back, — are untiring in their labors : — when they contract, the ribs are brought together; and when relaxed, the diameter of the chest is enlarged. All the muscles on the breast and sides, are remotely respitory agents. If the arms are fixed, by their contraction the ribs are drawn outwardly. Asthmatic persons, because the small intercostal muscles do not relax enough, bring the pectoral muscles to their aid, by raising their hands and holding on to a door, or a beam, for example, above the head. This enables them to pull open, as it were, the bottom of the chest. Ladies often swoon and sometimes drop down dead instantly, in consequence of lacing the chest so tightly, that the ribs cannot possibly move. The under surface of the clavicle. The coracoid process of the scapula. 7 * To move the clavicle down- ward. To roll the scapula. 78 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Name. Serratus major anticus. Arises from The eight superior ribs. MUSCLES SITUATED BETWEEN THE RIBS AND WITHIN THE THORAX. Intercostales externi. Intercostales interni. Triangularis, or Sterno-costalis. . 1 The lower edge of each upper rib. Like the former, their fibres are directed from behind for- ward. The middle and inferior part of the sternum. MUSCLES SITUATED ON THE ANTERIOR PART OF THE NECK, CLOSE TO THE VERTEBRAL Longus colli. Rectus internus capitis ma- jor. Rectus internus capitis mi- nor. Rectus capitis lateralis. The bodies of the three upper dorsal and transverse processes of the four last cervical. The transverse processes of the five last cervical vertebra. The fore part of the atlas. The transverse process of the atlas. MUSCLES SITUATED ON THE POSTERIOR PART OF THE TRUNK. Trapezius, or Cucullaris. Latissimus dorsi. Serratus posticus inferior- The os occipitis and the spinous processes of all the vertebrae of the neck and back. The spine of the ilium spin- spinous process of the sacrum, lumbar and inferior dorsal ver- tebras ; adheres to the scapula and inferior false ribs. The spinous processes of the two last dorsal and three lumbar vertebra. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 79 Inserted into Use. The base of the scapula. To bring the scapula for- ward. MUSCLES SITUATED BETWEEN THE RIBS AND WITHIN THE THORAX. The superior edge of each To elevate the ribs, lower rib. The cartilages of the five To depress the cartilages last true ribs. of the ribs. MUSCLES SITUATED ON THE ANTERIOR PART OF THE NECK, CLOSE TO THE VERTEBRA. The anterior tubercle of the To pull the neck to one dentatus. side. The cuneiform process of the os occipitis. The os occipitis, near the condyloid process. The os occipitis, near the mastoid process. To bend the head forward. To assist the former. To move the head to one side. MUSCLES SITUATED ON THE POSTERIOR PART OF THE TRUNK. The clavicle, part of the acromion, and the spine of the scapula. The os humeri, between its two tuberosities in the edge of the groove for the tendon of the biceps muscle. The lower edge of the three or four lowermost ribs, near their cartilages. To move the scapula, bend the neck, and pull the head backward. To draw the os humeri backward, and to roll it upon its axis. To draw the ribs outward, downward, and backward. 80 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Name. Rhomboideus. Splenius. Serratus superior posticus. Spinalis dorsi. Levatores costarum, or Supra-cotales. Sacro-lumbalis. Arises from The spinous processes of the three last cervical, and four first dorsal vertebrae. The spines of the four last cervical, and four superior dor- sal vertebrae. The spinous processes of the three last cervical, and two superior dorsal vertebrae. Two spinous processes of the loins, and three lower of the back. The transverse processes of the last cervical and the dor- sal vertebrae. The sacrum, spine of the ilium, and the spinous and transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae. Fig. 37. Explanations of Fig. 37. a. The trapezi- us. b. The latissimus dorsi. c. The rhomboi- deus minor. d. The rhomboi- deus major. e. The serratus posticus inferior. f. The levator anguli scapulae. Blocks were in- troduced to repre- sent the figure in a horizontal position, that the muscles might be more dis- tinctly seen. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 81 Inserted into The basis of the scapula, at its upper and lower part. The two first cervical verte- bra, and the side of the os occipitis. The second, third, and fourth ribs, by three neat fleshy tongues. All the spinous processes of the back, except the first. The angles of the ribs. The lower edge of each rib, by a flat tendon. Use. To move the scapula up- wards and backward. To move the head back- ward, and also to one side. To expand the thorax, by elevating the ribs. To extend the vertebra. To lift the ribs upward. To draw the ribs down- ward, to move the body upon its axis, to assist the longissi- mus dorsi, and to turn the neck back, or to one side. All the muscles of the back, clearly defined in Fig. 37, on the opposite page, are broad, thin, and generally produce the slow mo- tion of the limbs. In the middle of the trapezius , marked a, is a white line, where the fibres of the muscle, on either side meet and adhere to the spinous processes of the bones of the neck. On this line, in quadrupeds, is placed a powerfully strong cord, by the far- riers called paxwax, — but by anatomists — ligamentum nucha:, which, being attached to the back bone, between the shoulders, pre- vents their heavy head from drooping to the ground, It will not re- lax : — when they drink or feed, on a level with their feet, the nose, even by a voluntary effort, barely reaches to the earth. 92 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Fiff. 38. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 83 Explanation of Fig. 38. a, upper portion of the trapezius ; i. sterno cleido mastoideus ; d. the deltoid portion of the trapezius ; f. the latissimus dor si ; n. n. n. n. portions of the latissimus, rising by (limitations from the ribs ; g. and b. tendinous continuation of the latissimus into the fibres of the gluteus maxirnus ; h. the deltoides muscle, to raise the arm; k, e, m, the infra spinatus, belonging to the shoulder; c, the clavicular portion of the deltoides ; l, the intermingling of the fibres of the gluteus maximus, and latissimus dorsi. The artist was particularly fortunate in delineating the muscles in the accompanying diagram. No plate could more accurately show the relation which one bears to the other, nor more truly represent the converging fibres, all centering in the tendons. As in the de- monstration of the eye, it can also be said here, — that there are coats of muscles on the back and sides. One overlaps the edges of another, in such a perfect manner, as to leave no deep spaces : — an even covering is thus spread over the skeleton. The latissimus dorsi. marked/, is one of the most beautiful in the body; and its utility is proved every moment. Its office is to bring down the hand. Before man invented instruments which have superseded, to consid- erable extent, the primitive use of the hand, in some particulars, — his fist was a mallet, — the arm the handle, and this muscle, the power that gave force to the blow. Those mechanics who are con- stantly using hammers, and axes, increase its size and strength, amazingly. If the arm, on the other hand, be firmly fixed, in a horizontal position, the digitations marked n, n, n, n, by their strong hold upon the false ribs, would open the bottom of the chest, quite effectually. Over the shoulder joint, and from thence, running to the middle of the arm bone, is a splendid muscle, — the deltoides , marked h, which raises the arm to a level with the shoulder; its lateral portions, even carry the elbow very much above the level of their origin. If it were divided, no remaining muscle could per- form its office. Just above f, winding partially under the deltoides, is that muscle which extends the arm. The name of triceps exten- sor cubiti is given it, because it arises by three heads, which uniting in one tendon, passes the elbow joint, on the back of the arm, to be inserted into the ulna, or, as the bone is sometimes called, the cubit. Lastly, k, e , m, directs the eye to the infra spinatus, arising on the external surface of the shoulder blade, and inserted into the arm bone. By its contraction, the arm is raised a very little, and carried backward; — its tendon, as it passes over the shoulder joint, adheres to the capsular ligament and keeps it drawn out, so that it may not be pinched, by the rolling motion of the ball in the socket. 84 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Name. Longissimus dorsi. Complexus. Trachelo-mastoideus. Levator scapulae. Semi-spinalis dorsi. Multifidus spinae. Semi-spinalis colli, or Spinalis cervicis. Transversalis colli. Rectus capitis posticus ma- jor. Rectus capitis posticus mi- nor Obliquus capitis superior. Obliquus capitis inferior. Scalenus. Interspinales. Inter-transversales. Arises from The same parts as the for- mer, and by one common broad tendon. The transverse processes of the four inferior cervical, and seven superior dorsal verte- brae. The transverse processes of the five lower cervical and three upper dorsal vertebrae. The transverse processes of the four superior cervical ver- tebrae. The transverse processes of the 7th, 8th, -9th, and 10th dorsal vertebrae. The sacrum, ilium, oblique and transverse processes of the lumbar, the transverse of the dorsal, and four cervical vertebrae. The transverse processes of the six upper dorsal verte- brae. The transverse processes of the five upper dorsal verte- brae. The transverse process of the second cervical vertebrae. The first vertebrae of the neck. The transverse process of the atlas. The spinous process of the dentatus. The upper surface of the first and second rib. Between the spinous pro- cesses of the six inferior cer- vical vertebrae. Between the transverse processes of the vertebrae. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. So Inserted into The transverse processes of all the dorsal and one cervical vertebra. The middle of the os occi- pitis, at its tubercle. The os occipitis, behind the mastoid process of the tempo- ral bone. The upper angle of the scapula. The spinous processes of the four superior dorsal and the last cervical vertebra. The spinous processes of the lumbar dorsal, and cervical vertebra, except the atlas. The spinous processes of the five middle cervical. The transverse processes of the cervical vertebra. The lower ridge of the os occipitis. The os occipitis at its tu- bercle. The end of the lower occi- pital ridge. The transverse process of the atlas. The transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae. The spinous processes of the vertebras above. The transverse processes of the vertebrae above. Use. To stretch the vertebra ot the back, and keep the trunk erect. To draw the head back- ward. To draw the head backward. To move the scapula for- ward and upward. To extend the ^pine ob- liquely backward. To extend the back, and draw it backward, or to one side, and prevent the spine from being too much bent for- ward. To stretch the neck ob- liquely backward. To turn the neck obliquely backward, and to one side. To extend the head, and draw it backward. To assist the rectus major. To draw the head back- ward. To draw the face to one side. To move the neck forward, or to one side. To draw the spinous pro- cesses towards each other. To draw the transverse pro- cesses towards each other. 8 S6 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. MUSCLES OF THE SUPERIOR EXTREMITIES, Name. Supra-spinatus. Infra spinatus. Arises from The basis, spine, and upper end of the scapula. The cavity below the spine of the scapula. Fig. 39 Explanation of Fig. 39. a. The supra-spinatus. b. The infra spinatus. c. The teres minor. d. The teres major. e. The latissimus dorsi. f. The deltoid. g. The triceps extensor cubiti. Teres minor. Teres major. Deltoides. Coraco brachialis. The inferior edge of the scapula. T he inferior angle and edge of the scapula. The cavicle, and the acro- mion and spine of the scapula. The coracoid process of the scapula. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 87 MUSCLES OF THE SUPERIOR EXTREMITIES. Inserted into Use. A large tuberosity at the To raise the arm. head of the os humeri. The upper part of the same To roll the os humeri out- tuberosity. ward. Anatomists have sought for an explanation of the superiority of the right hand, over the left, in the muscles, arteries and nerves of the arm ; but no very satisfactory light has been thrown upon the subject. At one time, it was a common mode of getting over the difficulty, to say that the preference we give to the right hand arises from its superior strength; and that quality is owing to the man- ner in which the artery arises from the arch of the aorta, just above the heart. There is certainly a considerable difference in the size of the arteries in the two aims. The right in this respect, being the largest, derives its blood more directly from the fountain head. As the power of the muscle actually depends on the blood circulat- ed in its substance, it was very natural to refer the origin of its su- perior force to this cause. Here the inquiry has rested, so far as anatomical demonstration is concerned. But a formidable objection to that old fashioned theory arises, when we find a left-handed man, whose arm does not differ essentially from any other person’s left arm, and ambidexters, men using one hand just as well as the other, for example, in writing, throwing balls, turning a gim'blet, using a cabi- net-maker’s plane, Arc, seem to be entirely out of the reach of the old stereotyped theory about the artery. The preference, given to the right hand, conduces to its muscular development ; it is both larger, and stronger, by use. So it is with the right foot, and lvmce the extreme difficulty, with some, of wearing a pair of shoes made on one last. The evidence is pretty conclusive, from the universality of the law, which embraces all the inferior animals, as well as man, that it was expressly designed by the Creator, that the limbs on one side of the body should possess certain physical advantages over the other. Both rapidity of motion, and strength, are thus combined, constantly improved upon by practice, and a certain mechanical excellence is thus bestowed, without which we should be incompetent to the discharge of those duties which devolve upon us. The greater tuberosity of the humerus. The side of the groove for the long tendon of the biceps. The anterior and middle part of the os humeri. The middle and inner side of the os humeri. To assist the former. To assist in rotating the arm. To raise the arm. To roll the arm forward and upward. 66 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. MUSCLES SITUA Name. Subscapularis. Biceps flexor cubiti. Bvachialis internus. Triceps extensor cubiti. Anconeus. MUSCLES SITUATED Supinator radii longus. Extensor carpi radialis lon- gior. Extensor carpi radialis bre- vior. Extensor digitorum commu- nis. f Extensor minimi digiti. Extensor carpi ulnaris. Flexor carpi ulnaris. Palmaris longus. , Flexor carpi radialis, Pronator radii teres. Sppinator radii brevis. ON THE OS HUMERI. Arises from The basis, superior and in- ferior edge of the scapula. Two heads, one from the coracoid process, the other, called the long head, from the edge of the glenoid cavity of the scapula. The os humeri at each side of the tendon of the deltoides. The neck of the scapula, and the neck and middle of the humerus. The external condyle of the humerus. ON THE FORE ARM. The external condyle of the humerus. The external condyle of the humerus. The external condyle of the humerus. The external condyle of the os humeri. The outer condyle of -the humerus. The outer condyle of the os humeri. The inner Condyle of the humerus and olecranon. The internal condyle of the os humeri. The internal condyle of the os humeri. The internal condyle of the humerus and coronoid process of the ulna. The outer condyle of the humerus and edge of the ulna. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 89 MUSCLES SITUATED ON THE OS HUMERI. Inserted into The protuberance at the head of the os humeri. The tuberosity at the upper end of the radius, at its fore part, and a little below its neck. The coronoid process of the ulna. The upper and outer part of the olecranon. The back part or ridge of the ulna. Use. To roll the arm inward. To bend the fore arm, which it does with great strength, and to assist the supinators. To assist in bending the fore arm. To extend the fore arm. To assist in extending the fore arm. MUSCLES SITUATED ON THE FORE ARM. The radius near the styloid process. The metacarpal bone of the fore finger. The metacarpal bone of the middle finger. The back of all the bones of the fingers. The second joint of the little finger. The metacarpal bone of the little finger. The os pisiforme, at its fore- part. The annular ligament of the wrist, and there forms the aponeurosis of the hand. The metacarpal bone of the fore finger. The outer ridge of the radi- us, about the middle of its length. The anterior, inner, and upper part of the radius. To assist in turning up the palm of the hand. To extend the wrist. To assist the former. To extend the fingers. To assist in extending the fingers. To assist in extending the wrist. To assist in bending the hand. To bend the hand. To bend the hand. To roll the hand inward. To roll the radius outward, and assist the anconeus. S* 90 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Name. Arises from Extensor ossis metacarpi The middle of the ulna, in- pollicis manus. terosseous ligament and radius. Fig. 40. Fig. 41. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK 91 Inserted, into Use. The os trapezium, and first To stretch the first bone of bone of the thumb. the thumb outward. Explanation of Fig. 40. f. extensor digitorum communis, for extending the fingers ; h, ex- tensor proprius minimi digid, to extend the little finger ; f where it unites with others ; i, extensor carpi ulnaris ; l, anconeus , ex- tensor ossis metecarpi pollicis ; e, extensor primi internodii pollicis ; e, extensor secundi internodii pollicis; d, indicator ; g, annular ligament of the wrist ; m, will be recognised ; k, an abductor of the little finger ; e, supinator radii longus. Explanation of Fig. 41. a. pronator teres ; b, flexor carpi radialis ; c, d, palmaris longus , e, flexor carpi ulnaris ; g, flexor carpi radialis Ion goir. Between the elbow and ends of the fingers there are about fifty muscles. Some of them, — particularly those by the sides of the fing- ers, are quite short and delicate. All the quick short motions of the fingers are made by them. Their name, musculi fidicinales, fiddling muscles, in old books, is quite appropriately given, because the strings of the instrument are operated upon almost entirely by them. A back and front view of the fore arm is presented in the opposite page. Fig’s 40, and 41, in which all the long mus- cles, on the inside flexors, and on the back of the arm exten- sors, may be very accurately observed. Just under the skin, a silvery, tough membrane, like a silk case, is drawn closely over the muscles, to keep them from swelling too much, in their contractions. As before remarked, the strength which a muscle exerts, by being pressed down to the bone, when in action, is increased a hundred fold. The beauty and proportion of the limb is wholly preserved by the case, which is called fascia. It is taken away, in these plans, in order to show more distinctly the parts below. 92 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Name. Arises from Extensor primi internodii. Near the middle of the ulna> interosseous ligament, and radius. Extensor secundi interno- The back of the ulna and dii. Indicator. interosseous ligament. The middle of the ulna. Fig. 42. Fig. 43. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 93 Inserted into The convex part of the second bone of the thumb. The third and last bone of the thumb. The metacarpal bone of the fore finger. Use. To extend the second bone of the thumb outward. To stretch the thumb ob- liquely backward. To extend the fore finger. Explanation of Fig. 42. d, e, flexor digit orurn sublimis, attached to the second bone of each finger, by four tendons, to bend the second joint, — f h. flexor longus policis manus, to bend the thumb ; a , b, c, pronator teres , to pronate the hand ; g, a slit in the tendons of the flexor digitorum for the passage of four other tendons of another muscle which go to the points of the fingers, for bending the last joint. Explanation of Fig. 43. c, d, d, the pronator quadratus, is one of two small muscles for pronating the hand; a, b, the other, — pronator teres. In Fig’s. 42, and 43, the muscles are distinctly engraven, which roll the fore arm in supination and pronation. By turning a key in a door-lock, both sets are called into action, and it is recommend- ed to the reader to do it, and at the same time to feel the contractions of the muscles with the other hand. Fig. 43, the bones are made so plain, as to show the exact relation which the pronators have to them. On the other, Fig. e, points to the four tendons of the muscle that bends the last bone of the fingers. Looking back to Fig. 41, page 90, it is there concealed by the flexor of the second bone of the fingers. This, in order to reach its place of destination, pierces, as it were, the tendons of the upper muscle, and thus sends its own tendons onward, through the slit. 94 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Name. Flexor digitorurn sublimis. Flexor digitorurn profundus vel perforans. Flexor longus pollicis. Pronator radii quadratus Arises from The inner condyle of the os humeri, coronoid process of the ulna, and upper part of the radius. The upper part of the ulna, and interosseous ligament. The upper and fore part of the radius. The inner and lower part of the ulna. MUSCLES SITUATED CHIEFLY ON THE HAND. Lurnbricales. Flexor brevis pollicis manus. Opponens pollicis. Abductor pollicis manus. Abductor pollicis manus. Abductor indicis manus. Palmaris brevis. Abductor minimi digiti man- us. Abductor minimi digiti. Flexor parvus minimi digiti. Interossei interni, and Interossei externi. The tendons of the flexor profundus. The os trapezoides, liga- ment of the wrist, and the os magnum. The os scaphoides and liga- ment of the wrist. The annular ligament, and os trapezium. The metacarpal bone of the middle finger. The first bone of the thumb, and os trapezium. The annular ligament, and palmar aponeurosis. The annular ligament and os pisiforme. The os cuneiforme and car- pal ligament. The annular ligament and os cuneiforme. The metacarpal bones. MUSCLES OF THE INFERIOR EXTREMITIES. The anterior edge of the os pubis. Pectinalis. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 95 Inserted into The second bone of each finger, after being perforated by the tendons of the profun- dus. The fore part of the last bone of each of the fingers. The last joint of the thumb. The radius opposite to its origin. Use. To bend the second joint of the fingers upon the first, and the first upon the metacarpal bones. To bend the last joint of the fingers. To bend the last joint of the thumb. To roll the radius inward. MUSCLES SITUATED CHIEFLY ON THE HAND. The tendons of the extensor digitovum communis. The ossa sesamoidea and second bone of the thumb. The first bone of the thumb. The root of the first bone of the thumb. The root of the first bone of the thumb. The first bone of the fore finger posteriorly. The metacarpal bone and skin of the little finger. The first bone of the little finger. The metacarpal bone of the little finger. The first bone of the little finger. The sides of the metacarpal bones. To bend the first and extend the second phalanx. To bend the second joint of the thumb. To bend the thumb. To draw the thumb from the fingers. To pull the thumb toward the fingers. To move the fore finger to- wards the thumb. To contract the palm of the hand. To draw the little finger from the rest. To move that bone toward the rest. To draw the little finger from the rest. To extend the fingers, and move them toward the thumb. MUSCLES OF THE INFERIOR EXTREMITIES. The upper part of the linea To bend the thigh, aspera of the femur. Triceps adductor feinoris. 9 G ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Name. Adductor longus femo- ris. Adductor brevis femo- ris. Adductor magnus femo- ris. Arises from The upper and fore part of the pubis. The fore part and ramus of the os pubis. The lower and fore part of the ramus of the pubis. Fig. 44 . Explanation of Fig. . c. The gluteus medius. d. The pyriformis. e. The geminus superior. f The geminus interior. g. The obturator internus. g*. The quadrator femoris. h. The biceps flexor cruris. i. The semitendinosus. k. The semimembranosus l. The superficial gluteal artery and nerve. m. The greatischiaticnerve. n. The ischiatic artery. o. The popliteal nerve. p. The fibular or peroneal P nerve. q. The popliteal vein. r. The popliteal artery. s. The internal pudic artery vein, and nerve. t. t. The muscles on the anterior part of the thigh. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 97 Inserted into The middle and back part of the linea aspera. The inner and upper part of linea aspera. The whole length of the linea aspera. Use. To bend the thigh. To bend the thigh, and move it inward. To move the thigh inward, and assist in bending it. Besides the muscles, nerves, veins, tendons, bands, and ligaments, there are absoi bents — an exceedingly minute class of tubes, of the utmost importance in the animal economy. From the inner edge of the great toe, to the groin, there is a chain of absorbents, re- sembling, when magnified by a lens, a multitude of threaded eggs. It is the office of the absorbents to pick up whatever might otherwise have been wasted, and return it to the heart, that it may be appro- priated to the wants of the body. These egg-shaped particles are receiving organs, immensely larger than the tubes which bring into them the fluids they suck up about the muscles. By the agency of these small bodies, which are greedy to seize whatever is presented to them, the physician is able to convey medicines into the circula- tion, when they could not be taken into the stomach. It ma3' be desirable to salivate, or in other words, to increase the quantity of fluid in the mouth, in order to overcome some local disease, but as mercury, in the form best adapted to produce that effect, would be injurious to swallow, it is rubbed on the skin, over these lymphat- ics or absorbents, being called by either name, which at once convey it into the blood ; — but being offensive and injurious to the body, ano- ther set of vessels discover the presence of the unwelcome visitor, and speedily go to work to throw it out of the system. In the case of mercu- ry, it is eonveyedout at the mouth, and the great flow of saliva, which keeps up a constant spitting, is nothing more than nature’s scheme to wash away the noxious matter. These absorbents sometimes suck in a poisonous matter; — here an action. at once takes place, of an extraordinary character. It seem as though the lymphatic thus loaded, was conscious of its destructive burden, and instead of allowing it to flow to the next one, towards the heart, it inflames, bursts open, and discharg- es its contents in the form of a sore. Sometimes this ulceration may extend to the neighboring lymphatic, and so the disease be propagated even into the cavities of the body. If a serpent’s fang wound the skin, the absorbents convey the venom onward, like couriers, to head-quar- ters, the heart, whence it is distributed at once through the sys- em. If a bee stings, the poison is ushered along by the same organs. The absorbents are exceedingly active agents, but so small, that their existence was unknown, a long time after the discovery of the circulation. 9 98 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Name. Obturator externus. .Arises from The obturator ligament, and half of the thyroid hole. Gluteus maximus. The spine of the ilium, pos- terior sacro ischiatic ligaments, and os sacrum. Gluteus medius. The spine and superior sur- face of the ilium. Gluteus minimus. The outer surface of the ilium and border of its great notch. Pyriformis. The anterior part of the os sacrum. Gemini. The spine and tuberosity of the ischium. Quadratus femoris. The tuberosity of the is- chium. MUSCLES SITUATED ON THE THIGH. Facialis, or Tensor vaginae femoris. The upper spinous process of the ilium. Sarto rius. The upper spinous process of the ilium. Gracilis. The fore part of the ischium and pubis. Rectus femoris, or Rectus cruris. The lower spinous process of the ilium, and edge of the acertabulum. Vastus externus. The root of the great tro- Vastus internus. chanter, and linea aspera. The trochanter minor, and Cruralis, or Cruraeus. the linea aspera. The anterior part of the lesser trochanter. Semi-tendinosus. The tuberosity of the is- chium. Semi-membranosus. The tuberosity of the is- chium. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 99 Inserted into The femur near the root of the great trochanter. The upper part of the linea aspera of the femur. The great trochanter of the os feinoris. The root of the great tro- chanter. A cavity at the root of the great trochanter. The same cavity as the pyriforinis. A ridge between the two trochanters. Use. To pull forward, and rotate the thigh. To extend the thigh, and assist in its rotatory motion. To assist the gluteus maxi- mus. To assist the two former. To roll the thigh outward. To roll the thigh outward. To move the thigh outward. MUSCLES SITUATE The inner side of the mem- branous fascia which covers the thigh. The upper and inner part of the tibia. The upper and inner part of the tibia. The upper and fore part of the patella. The upper and lateral part of the patella. The upper and inner part of the patella. The upper part of the patel- la. The upper and inner part of the tibia. The back part of the head of the tibia. ON THE THIGH. To stretch the fascia. To bend the leg inward. To bend the leg. To extend the leg. To extend the leg. To extend the leg. To extend the leg. To bend and draw the leg inward. To bend the leg. 100 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Fig. 45. Explanation cf Fig. 45. a. The tensor vag- inas femoris. b. The sartorius. c. The rectus fe- moris. d. The vastus ex- ternus. e. The vastus in- terims. f. The pectinalis. g. The adductor longus. h. The adductor magnus. i. The gracilis. k. Iliacus internus. l. The anterior crural nerve. m. The femoral ar- tery. n. The femoral vein. 1. The external ep- igastric artery. 2. The external cir- cumflexa ilii. Name. Biceps fluxor cruris. Arises from The tuberosity of the is- chium. The external condyle of the thigh bone. Popliteus. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 101 To a person unaccustomed to anatomical language, the names of the muscles will undoubtedly appear exceedingly unmeaning, and difficult to pronounce. This is true, as respects the pronunciation ; but the name, in a majority of cases, is really expressive, — giving both origin and insertion. An example of this double office of the name, may be noticed in stylo-glossus — meaning that it arises from the styloid process, and is inserted into the tongue. In hyo-glossus, the same advantage occurs : it simply informs us that it arises from the liyoideus , the bone of the tongue, and is inserted into the tongue. The muscles of the thigh and leg, are particularly vexatious, in this respect, to a young beginner. However, by patiently exercising the mind, in a little time the system becomes familiar. Though one bone only is embraced by the muscles o( the thigh, the circumference is vastly greater of this part of the limb, than the leg. This depends on the number and magnitude of the muscles, which pas3 over the fernoris, from the pelvis, to reach the bones of the leg below the knee joint. All the muscles on the fore part of the thigh, come from the upper end of the bone, and the hip, or ilium, and instead of being at all devoted to the service of the bone over whose surface they run, they are all concentrated in the knee pan, and therefore belong to the leg, as its extensors or straighteners. So violently have they been known to contract, that they have actually broken the knee pan into two pieces, — one half held by its ligament, down to its place, but the other, drawn by the uncontroled energy of the muscles, several inches up the thigh. When rising from a sitting posture, the entire weight of the body is raised by these same muscles; but they would be inadequate to the task, were it not for the sliding of the knee pan up the thigh, thereby increasing the power, by re- moving the fulcrum from the centre of motion, till the body is erect, when it slips into a pit, made by the meeting of the ends of the thigh and leg bones. While sitting, the muscles being at rest, the knee pan falls into the space between the ends of the bones, made by bending the limb. It is on this principle that the sessamoid bones are thrown in under the tendons of the toes, to increase the power of the flexor, by removing the centre of motion further from the joint. This is a plan of nature’s to protect the toe, which, being over worked, would be ruined, were not an immediate provision made for increasing its power to meet the exigency of the case Inserted into The upper and back part of the tibia, forming the outer hamstring. The upper and inner part of the tibia. Use. To bend the leg. To assist in bending the leg. 9 * 102 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Fig. 4G l \ MUSCLES SITUATED ON THE LEG. JYame. Arises from Gastrocnemius externus, or The internal and external Gemellus. condyle of the femur. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 103 Explanations of Fig. 46. a Tensor vaginas femoris. b. Sartorius reflected. c. Rectus reflected. d. Vastus externus. e. Vastus internus, pulled outward. f Pectinalis reflected. g Adductor longus reflected. h. Adductor magnus. i Gracilis. lc. Iliacus internus. 1. The anterior crural nerve. in. The femoral artery. 5. The arteria profunda. 6. The external circumflex artery. 7. The internal circumflex artery. 7i. The femoral vein. o. The cruralis. p. The adductor brevis. q. The obturator artery and nerve. o. The cruralis, vel crureus. p. The adductor brevis. Were it not for the tendons of the vast number of muscles which slide by the knee joint, as remarked in speakingof the anatomy of the bones, this would have been an imperfect articulation. Behind, the hamstrings contribute, on either side, to the formation of a canal, in which the artery, vein and great nerve of the leg, carefully cushioned up in a quantity of fat, lie so securely, that they very rarely come to any injury. One object of introducing Fig. 45, opposite, was to show the general relation of some of the blood vessels, — the nerve that supplies the fore part of the thigh, and to exhibit the muscles already shown in a preceding figure, differently displayed, which have such a bearing on the anatomy of the joint. Several of the long ones are divided, in order to give a clearer view of those which would otherwise be too much hidden, to be understood. The sarto- rius or tailor’s muscle, so called because it crosses the legs, is marked c — the upper portion being taken away to show i, the gracilis. In nearly all operations on the artery of the thigh, the surgeon is guided by the edge of the sartorius — a sure index ; it also contrib- utes to the lateral security of the knee. MUSCLES SITUATED ON THE LEG. Inserted into Use. The os calcis, with the To extend the foot, tendon of the soleus. 104 ANATOMICAL CLASS fiOOR. J\'nme. Jlrises from Gastrocnemius internus, or The head of the fibula, and back part of the head of the tibia. The outer condyle of the os femoris and capsular ligament. Soleus. Plantaris. Fig. 47. Fig. 48. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 105 Inserted into Use. The os calcis, by a common To extend the foot, tendon, which is called tendo Jt chilis. The os calcis, near the To assist in extending the tendo Achilis. foot. Explanations of Fig. 47. h. The tibialis antieus. i. The extensor longus digitorum. k. The peroneus tertius. /. The extensor longus, or proprius pollieis. m. The extensor digitorum brevis. n. The peroneus longus. o. The peroneus brevis. p. The annular ligament. Explanations of Fig. 4S. h. The tibialis antieus. i. The extensor longus digitorum. 1. The extensor longus pollieis. q. The anterior tibial artery. r. The anterior tibial nerve. A similar provision is made in the leg for keeping the muscles down to their proper places, that has been noticed in the fore arm. Those bands, called annular ligaments, which encircle the ankle, to prevent the tendons, as they run upon the top of the instep, from flying out from the bones, in a high state of contraction, must excite admiration. This they have a constant tendency to do. If a person is walking up a flight of stairs on his toes, he will then per- ceive the strong action of the tendons, and the reaction of the liga- ments upon them. All those animals which climb, as squirrels, monkeys, bears, and some others, have the fascia or limb cases, much thicker, in proportion to the size of the body, than in man. All the tendons of the toes and fingers are bound down to the bones by inelastic bands, — in a similar manner. Birds, particularly those that roost, have a beautiful web of ligementarv threads woundround the leg, just above the toes, for restraining the tendons. Fig. 46, displays an intricate mass of muscles, originating between the upper extremities of the leg bones. For nearly a foot below the knee, it is difficult to designate one from the other, on account of the intermingling of the fibres. However, the tendons of each, are distinct. No important vessels or nerves are exposed on the skin : — on the opposite side, however, they are to be found, safely protected by muscles, bones aqd fascia. 106 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Name. Tibialis anticus. Tibialis posticus. Arises Jrom The upper and fore part of the tibia. The back part of the tibia, interosseous ligament, and ad- jacent part of the fibula. Fig. 49. Fig. 50. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 107 Inserted into Use. The os cuneiforme inter- To bend the foot, num. The middle cuneiform bone, To move the foot inward, and upper part of the os navi- culare. Explanations of Fig. 49. q. The plantaris. r. The popliteus. s. The soleus. t. The biceps, forming the outer hamstring. u. u. The semitendinosus and semimembranosus, forming the in- ner hamstring. About the knee and ankle joints, professional bone-setters have played, and are still playing, a high handed game of quackery and imposition. On that account, therefore, it has been an important object, to embody as much general information, in relation to the anatomy of the lower limbs, as possible, and at the same time avoid writing a professional essay on the diseases and incidents to which they are particularly predisposed. Three bones, only, enter into the composition of the knee joint ; yet in this land of common sense, indi- viduals injure the articulation, and have it made well, by the reduc- tion of six or seven ! The ankle joint, made up entirely of three bones, — is often cured by having several little bones thrust into place 1 In the immediate neighborhood of these joints, a multitude of tendons have been seen, in the preceding diagrams, on which their perfection depends. By a thousand accidents to which they are ex- posed, the tendon of a particular muscle may be so prodigiously strained as finally to become inflamed. No pain is more severe nor more tedious in point of duration, than sprains — or over stretching of the tendons and ligaments. Though slow to feel, — when once roused, they are as difficult to manage as the bones, because they possess a vitality so low and so far removed from the sensibility of the soft parts, that remedies are a long time in effecting a restoration. To an inflammation therefore, and not to the out-of-joint condition of the little bones, is to be imputed the cause of protracted lameness in a majority of cases. The metatarsal bones of the instep are not thrown out of place once in a hundred instances where it is supposed they are. To youth, these remarks are addressed. 108 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Name. Peroneus longus. Peroneus brevis. Extensor longus digitorum pedis. Extensor proprius pollicis pedis. Flexor longus digitorum pedis, profundus, persorans. Arises from The head of the tibia, and upper and outer part of the fibula. The outer and fore part of the fibula. The upper part of the tibia, interosseous ligament, and in- ner edge of the fibula. The upper and fore part of the tibia. The upper and inner part of the tibia. Flexor longus pollicis pedis. A little below the head of the fibula. Fig. 51. Explanations of Fig. 51. f The external plantar artery. g. The internal plantar. h. The tendon of the flexor longus pol- licis. i. The tendons of the flexor longus. digitorum. j. j. The massa carnea Jacobi Sylvii. k. k. k. The lumbricales. MUSCLES CHIEFLY SITUATED ON THE FOOT. Extensor brevis digitorum The upper and anterior part p e di 3 . of the os calcis. Flexor brevis digitorum pe- The lower part of the os dis, perforatus sublimis. calcis. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 109 Inserted into The metatarsal bone of the great toe. The metatarsal bone of the little toe. The first joint of the small toes by the four tendons. The convex surface of the bones of the' great toe. The last bones of all the toes, except the great toe, by four tendons. The last bone of the great toe. Use. To move the foot outward. To assist the peroneous longus. To extend the toes, and separate them from one ano- ther. To extend the great toe. To bend the last joint of the toes. To bend the great toe. Notwithstanding the multitude of bands, muscles, cords and ves- sels, were it not for the broad sheet in the sole of the foot, reaching from the heel to the roots of the toes, like the sole.of a shoe, all the parts we have been considering would have been inadequate to its security. The plantaris, the name of this ligament, binds the arch of the foot, and effectually prevents the bones from being spread apart, and at the same time constitutes a firm external defence for the muscles, nerves and vessels. A similar broad ligament exists in the palm of the hand, for the same purpose. MUSCLES CHIEFLY SITUATED ON THE FOOT. The first bone of the great and other toes, except the little. The second phalanx of each of the small toes, by four ten- dons, which are perforated by those of the flex. long. dig. ped. To extend the toes. To bend the second joint of the toes. 10 110 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Name. Lumbricales pedis. Flexor brevis pollicjs pedis. Abductor pollicis pedis. Abductor pollicis pedis. Abductor minimi digiti pe- dis. Flexor brevis minimi digiti pedis. Transversales pedis. Interossei pedis interni. ^ Interossei pedis externi. 3 Arises from The tendons of the flexor longus digitorum pedis. The fore part of the os cal- cis, and external cuneiform bone. The inner and lower part of the os calcis. The ligament extended from the os calcis to the os cuboi- des. The tuber of the os calcis, and metatarsal bone of the little toe. The root of the metatarsal bone of the little toe. The ligament connecting the bones of the tarsus. The metatarsal bones. Fig. 52. Explanations of Fig. 52. l. The plantar arch, m. The flexor brevis pollicis. 71 . The adductor pollicis. o. The flexor brevis minimi digiti. p. The transversalis pedis. q. The interossei. r. The long ligament of the calcis.' s. The tendon of the peroneus longus. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 11 ] Inserted into The tendinous expansion at the upper part of the toes. The first joint of the great toe, by two tendons. The first joint of the great toe. The outer sesamoid bone, or first joint of the great toe. The first joint of the little toe externally. The root of the first bone of the little toe. The tendon of the adductor pollicis. The metatarsal bones. Use. To draw the toes inward. To bend the first joint of the great toe. To move the great toe from the rest. To draw the great toe nearer to the rest, and to bend it. To draw the little toe out- ward. To bend the little toe. To contract the foot. To draw the smaller toes towards the great toe, and assist in extending the toes. 112 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. QUESTIONS. Where are the ligaments found ? What is Syndesmology ? Have the ligaments sensibility ? Are they elastic ? Are there ligaments within the skull ? What prevents the bones of the foot from separating', when we stand ? What do you understand by Myology. What is a muscle ? What are the characteristics of a muscle. Their use ? What makes them red ? Have they nerves ? Are they all of the same figure ? How do muscles act ? How are muscles divided? Where are the involuntary muscles found ? Why does it require practice to play musical instruments? Have the muscles a vitality which survives the death of the nerves ? Has each muscle an antagonist ? Are they ever relaxed? Ho they ever become weary ? What is contractility, as applied to the muscle ? What are tendons? ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 113 Where are they found ? In cases of suspended animation, through the agency of what organs is vitality recalled ? How many muscles are there ? Are muscles always in pairs ? How many muscles from the elbow to the fingers ? What muscle raises the whole arm to a horizontal posture ? What muscle surrounds the eye, within the eyelids ? Has the nose any muscles? Are there muscles connected with the external ear P What muscles bend the head forward, as in bowing? What muscles assist us in walking ? What muscles are in action, in sounding the vowels ? What muscles sustain the upright position of the back ? What muscles extend the fore finger? What muscle bends the fore arm on the arm ? What is the fascia and its use ? What muscle is the longest in man ? Are there muscles in the tongue ? Do muscles have any agency in modulating the tones of the voice ? By how many muscles is the eye moved in its socket ? What muscle rolls the eye downward, towards the shoulder ? What muscle lies over the back of the neck, like a tippet ? What muscle extends the whole fore arm? What muscle rolls the fisre arm to and fro ? What muscles constitute the calf of the leg ? Where do the flexois of the toes run, to reach them ? What muscle enables us to blow with the mouth ? 10 * 114 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. APPARATUS OF JOINTS. OR BURSOLOGY. Within the joints or in their immediate vicinity, there are small sacs, containing a glairy, oily fluid, which is poured out between the articulating surfaces, to prevent friction ; the name of this substance is synovia. Upon the same principle that any machinery is kept oiled, the joints arc lubricated. When the secretion of the synovia, is im- perfect, or scantily effused into the joint, the highly polish- ed surfaces of the cartilages become rough, dry and sub- sequently inflamed. Even in the sheaths of the tendons, these oil bags are considerably numerous. About the wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, knees, and ankle, they are large, but of various shapes, according to the space afforded them. Where the most motion is required, there are the largest sacs, secret- ing and throwing into the place, a copious quantity of the oil. A disease of the bursa; mucosa;, which is the scientific name of the sacs, is familiarly known as the white swelling, — particularly of the hip and knee. It would not be profitable in a simple elementary trea- tise to dwell minutely on this subject. The few observa- tions here made, will satisfy the inquirer, that the care which is everywhere displayed in animal mechanism, de- monstrates in the most happy and unobjectionable man- ner, the contrivance of a Being antecedent and superior to ourselves. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 115 FLUIDS, OR AN GIOLOGY, THE HEART AND CIRCULATION OF THE BLOOD. It is one of the most curious facts in the whole range of physiological science, that the ancients were totally igno- rant of the circulation of the blood. By a long course of observations, it was commonly ad- mitted that there were in man, for example, two sets of tubes, which coursed through the body, and they assigned to each many absurd and ridiculous functions. As one set of vessels were superficial, directly under the skin, filled with the venous blood, which quietly moved along the smooth duct, — from some unknown point, to another, equally obscure, they were fully satisfied that it belonged, in some way, to the body. On the other hand, by various accidents, they had frequent opportunities of viewing the deeper seated vessels, throbbing and getting blood in recent wounds: — but as the color of their con- tents was different from that in the veins, and the activity that was manifested by these tubes, when exposed to their astonished vision, altogether different from the motionless, well behaved veins, the idea was at once admitted that these, which were denominated arteries, constituted the laboratory of thd animal spirits, — or, in other words, it was in the arteries that the powers of the soul were gene- rated, in combination with atmospheric air, which found its way into the reservoirs of life, through the puffing and blowing exercises of the lungs. When the artery was cut, 116 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK.' and the warm blood was forced out by strong pulsations, then the spirit within was angry, — and so vented its displeasure and spite, like a snarling child, by spirting out its own precious self through the incidental aperture. Upon notions as rational as these, learned men con- structed some of the strangest theories that ever beset the imagination. When the whole subject of the use of the arteries and veins were supposed to be clearly understood, those sage investigators of the sublime and beautiful, rested from the weight of their labors, and, subsequently, established certain doctrines, which held a despotic sway for centuries ; yet they were as far from truth, as possible, — and worse than all, no person of common sense dared to call them in question. Who but a blockhead would ever have entertained a notion like this, viz. that the blood ran out from the heart through the day, or while one was awake, and returned again at night, when the individual retired to his slumbers ! Who but a profound dunce would have suggested the novel theory that weariness , the sensation of being tired, was in consequence of being so long awake, that the blood had all run out from the fountain head: — and when one could not move any longer, from complete exhaustion, why nature indicated at once what was to be done: — only lay the poor sufferer on a bed, the recumbent posture being highly favorable, the blood immediately took a downhil direction, and when it had all reached home, and was snugly settled down in one of the chambers of the heart, the tendency to death was suspended, — the man recov- ered his accustomed strength, and bright and early the next morning the same truant blood was ready to travel over the old ground again ! Thus it will be plainly understood, that the arteries were expressly set apart as a habitation for the spirit or vital principle : the veins, because they were less noble, were ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 1 17 on the outside, while the others within, were exclusively appropriated to the to and fro, night and morning cir- culation of the blood. Another discovery, equally surprising, and in exact keeping with the foregoing arrangement, related to the heart. They saw a little thing carefully boxed up in the chest, between the right and left lung, which to all intents and purposes satisfied the student of nature, that it was very hot, or it would not have been confined and sur- rounded by two great bags of wind : — it was kept tolera- bly cool by constant respiration ! The heart being decidedly a hot affair, there was a grand field for exclaiming and proclaiming the wisdom of nature, in providing such a delicate and at the same time simple, but perfect contrivance for keeping down its temperature below the boiling point ! It was laced up in a straight jacket, — the pericardium, vulgarly called heart-case, of a fpYl n» Q o/~» firm , tfinl it wrnc no cDlfimn^ont ap .tkat tlio oarlli was the centre of the solar system, that this organ was liable to prodigious paroxysms of rage, and would burst from its prison, were it not thus secured. Two points were thus satisfactorily settled : viz. that it was very hot, and very unruly. Again, — within, there were certain apartments, which took the sensible and significant names of auricles and ventricles, — because the walls of the one bore some fanci- ful resemblance to the ears of a dog — but which, by the way, bear just as much resemblance to the horns of the new moon ; and in these cavities certain curious opera- tions were going on, which none but very wise philoso- phers understood. These consisted in the mixing of air and blood, — the instantaneous development of certain matters and things which constituted life, and gun-powder- like explosions, consequent upon the ingress of cold air in the furnace of the heart. 118 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. In reality, had those investigating geniuses of the olden time, whom it is so fashionable to admire, so classical to praise, known anything of the modern properties of the steam-engine, it is altogether probable they would have had much to say on the heart’s property of generating power by converting its liquid contents into vapor, and, in the sequel, laboriously explained the causes which oc- casionally oppressed, — which clogged the wheels of vital action, and which, in plainer language, sometimes burst the boiler. We have merely sketched an outline of the general views which were entertained of the physiology of the sys- tem by the ancients ; — views it would seem, so absurd that the reflections of a school-boy would have overturned them : yet, strange as it now appears, they were carefully trans- mitted from one generation to another, for many centuries, and treasured up as the profound discoveries of antiquity. THE HEART. It would seem, at first view, from the high office of the heart, so constantly found in all animals with which we are familiar, that no organized being could possibly exist without it. Strange, however, as it may appear, there are various classes, in the lowest orders of animal crea- tion, which are totally destitute of it; still, they have blood, and that can under no circumstances be dispensed with, — but is not propelled by one single organ through the ves- sels. There is a compensation, however, in the structure of the primitive vessels, — or to be understood, a blood- vessel takes upon itself all the functions of a heart, ex- erting by successive pulsations, a power adequate to the physical requirements of the body in which it is found. Numerous, indeed, are the insects and vermin, in ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 119 which this kind of organization is discoverable. But it is not an organization favorable to longevity, for those in which this simple apparatus exists, are the beings only of a day ; they flit in the sunshine a few hours; the object of their creation is attained, and they die. A resemblance to this sort of machinery is noticed in fishes; though they have a heart, it is exceedingly imper- fect, when compared to the same organ in warm-blooded animals. Fig. 53. Explanation of Fig. 53. A. A. are the fringes of the gills, attached to half hoops ot cartil- age. These threads, which are of a bright red, are the extreme terminations of the branchial arteries ; in an animal breathing air, — the same vessels are called bronchial arteries. B. the ventricle of the heart, or forcing-pump, which drives the blood with which it is distended, into a single artery. Just beyond B, the artery D divides into two branches, leading to the gills on either side, in equal quantities. Precisely like this, is the right heart of man. Instead of being thrown into gills, the branches di- rect the blood into the lungs. C, the auricle, or first receiving cav- ity of the heart. All the veins of the body in all animals, whether belonging to the land or water, ultimately unite into one tube, and that empties it.s blood into the auricle. E. In this diagram, E is the branchial vein, of the right gill soon united to that from the left side The blood has been changed in the gills, where it was sent by the heart, by being brought in contact with the air in the water, and now being fit for the purposes of the system, is returned by these veins, to a great vessel, lying under the backbone. F. This is the reservoir of the revitalized blood: — at its com- mencement in the gills, it is like a vein, — but the main trunk now assumes the functions of an artery, or indeed a second heart. It contracts and propels its contents over the body. Here then is a tube taking upon itself the office of the left heart of land-dwelling ani- mals. 120 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Were it profitable, reference might be made to very many curious modifications of this blood-propelling apparatus, so positively neces- sary to the existence of all organized beings, in the oyster, cuttle- fish, birds, lizards, serpents, tortoises, frogs, tadpoles and some other reptiles. Indeed, the fish has but half a heart. All their blood, — and in some of tire huge monsters of the ocean there is a prodigious quantity, — is sent its rounds by an artery , and not by a heart or any particular part of one. Here we perceive that a force is exerted by the contractions of a single vessel, equal, (for it must he in sharks of thirty feet in length,) to a moderate sized fire-engine. We positive- ly know it to he so, because the blood, by each pulsation, is driven through as much space in a giveri time, as the water is thrown by the piston of the engine. In the mammalia, that is, animals breathing air, the heart is the centre of the circulation — the point from whence the blood starts, and the instrument of propulsion, by which it is kept going in an endless round, in the body. It is a forcing-pump, by which a column of fluid is raised, and an imitation of its mechanism may be examined in every house in which one of those convenient machines is used for filling tanks in the upper apartments. One is self-moving, having incorporated within ils own substance, the wonderful power of generating physical strength ; while in the other, an extraneous force must be applied, some- where, to put it in motion. Surely the most sceptical must acknowledge in this in- stance, and it is only one of many millions which might be cited, that the work of an Almighty Being is here most certainly manifested. How simple the contrivance, yet how astonishing the results! In warm-blooded animals, the heart is a compound en- gine. If we go back to the fishes it is there single ; but in man, quadrupeds and birds, it is double : they have two hearts, and both of them are forcing pumps. Man has ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 121 two hearts, but they occupy less room by being joined to- gether, though, for aught we can discover, the system could be just as well supported, had one of them been placed at one side of the chest, and the other at another part. By being united less substance is required ; sym- metry is preserved, and the union of the two actually con- duces to the greater muscular power of both. Fig. 54. Explanation of Fig. 54. By this engraving, the reader will readily understand what we mean by the two hearts of man, and other warm-blooded animals, as they are here exhibited, and as they appear when dissected apart. Each one of them is a perfect organ, by itself, and the one is per- fectly independent of the other. That having the letter b upon it, is the right heart, — and that with a g, the left. This is a front view, or like looking into the chest of another person. The right heart is the engine of the lungs, — for it supplies those organs ex- clusively. The left heart throws the blood, as already remarked in the text, round the curve above g, in the direction indicated by the arrows, over the entire body. a a are the cavas, or great veins, — returning blood from the head and arms, and lower extremities. The uppermost is the su- perior vena cava, and the one below, the inferior vena cava. The arrows show the direction of the returning currents of venous blood, to 6, the auricle, which forces it into c, the ventricle, which again forces it up into a, the pulmonary artery, where it divides, to go to each lung ; e, is one of the four pulmonary veins, which convey the hlood just forced into the lungs, into the auricle f, of the left heart. When that contracts, it drives its blood into g, the ventricle, which, in its turn, forces it onward again into the arch, or the aorta, the 11 122 AN ATOMIC All CLASS BOOK. main pipe, where it glides along in the direction of the arrow, di- viding into smaller streams on its way, and finally goes down the descending aorta h, to supply the body below. There are many animals which have only the right heart, but none that possess the left one alone. The fishes heart, in the plan preceding this, is the single, equivalent to the right heart of man. That there might be no interference, no irregularity, but perfect order and harmony, only one acts at a time. The right heart rests while the left moves, and then, in perfect obedience to a law which cannot be explained, operates in its turn. In configuration, the heart has no such vulgar shape as we are told in some of the books, like the ace of hearts on a playing card. It is a short cone, lying obliquely across the breast, the point of which beats, when in an erect posture, between the sixth and seventh ribs of the left side. Within, there are four apartments, so irregularly shap- ed, that they cannot be likened to anything. Each heart has its two cavities, communicating with each other by an orifice, about an inch in diameter, but a complete valve is suspended on the margin of the opening, like a gate, to close it, that all communication may be instantaneously interrupted, as we shall ascertain to be indispensably necessary, at each pulsation. Moreover, to prevent the heart from ever being over distended, from having its walls put too much upon a stretch, little cords of astonishing tenacity, run from one side to the other crossing and re- crossing each other in all directions, which also assist, by contracting, to squeeze it, as it were, together, in forcing out its contents. To secure it still farther, guarding against all contin- gencies, the heart is enveloped in a tough, slightly elastic case. Having this support, were the internal straps to be rent from their attachments, the swelling heart would be met from without, by its covering, and prevented from being ruptured by the accumulation of the blood within. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 123 Lastly, that the freedom of motion might never be abridged, the heart is suspended at the top of the chest, by its own lubes, being at liberty to swing in the triangular space given it between the lobes of the lungs, according to the various attitudes the body assumes. This is not all ; the heart constitutes a hollow muscle, being as com- pletely flesh as the muscles of the arm. Besides, it pos- sesses all the essential characteristics of every muscle, the inherent property of contractility. Having explained the fact that there are two hearts, it is now necessary to show the necessity of this arrange- ment, which is no easy matter, inasmuch as we are to adapt our demonstration to the capacity of the young. Throughout the system there are two sets of tubes for conveying blood ; — one conducting it through the body, and the other returning it. To be serviceable to the system, which is the final cause of the elaborate machi- nery under consideration, two other important organs must necessarily claim attention, viz. the stomach and the lungs. In the former, the food is converted into a milky liquor, from whence it is actually conveyed into one of the cavi- ties of the heart ; but before it can be of any service, it must first be mixed with that already in the veins. A chemical change is effected in it by being exposed to the action of the atmospheric air, that makes it blood. As the first process is completed, the next object nature has in view, is to distribute it, and the left heart is the apparatus by which it is effected. There is no communi- cation between the cavities of the two hearts, but we per- ceive that the blood which is pouring into the right side, must be thrown somewhere, and as it cannot go into the left, where, the query will arise, does it move ? — directly into the lungs. From thence it is collected, and by four branching tubes carried to the left heart. Thus, the left 124 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. heart forces it in all directions from the centre, and the l ight heart forces that which has been returned into the lungs. By an untiring labor of the two hearts, acting alter- nately, from birth till death, the blood, that important sub- stance, on which life depends, is kept always going and coming, and whatever property or quantity is lost on the loute, is supplied by the activity of the stomach, the great laboratory in which the material is manufactured of which it is originally made. Authors detail the particulars of what they call the two circulations , — viz. the greater and lesser, by which is to be understood, that the right heart and lungs constitute this lesser, because the force of the engine is only exerted to throw its contents into the air cells of the lungs. On the other hand, the greater circulation, means the left heart and all the arteries leading from it, quite to the ex- tremities. As the power to be exerted by the left heart, in order to throw the blood the entire length of the body, is vastly superior to its fellow, which is only required to push its volume of blood about ten inches, so it is proportionably stronger in its substance : thicker in its walls, and more sensitive to the application of stimuli. In the act of dying, the left heart invariably clears all its cavities, — and there- fore is always empty on dissection, but the right heart re- mains full and burthened, ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 125 Fig. 55. Explanation of Fig. 55. The double heart of man : — q, descending vena cava ; o, ascend- ing vena cava ; n, right auricle ; b, right ventricle ; k, pulmonary artery; 1,1, right and left branches of this artery, going to the lungs on either side of the chest; m, m, veins of the lungs, which return what the artery sent in, to r, the left auricle ; a, the left ven- tricle ; c, e,f, aorta or great artery of the body, rising out of the left heart; g, arteria innominata ; h, the subclavian artery , going to the left arm ; i, the carotid artery, which goes up the side of the neck to the head. JYote — the arrows show the course the blood moves in each of the vessels demonstrated with the heart; n, right auricle; m , m, veins of the lungs ; s, left coronary artery. P, veins returning blood from the liver and bowels. There is no essential difference in the external appearance, or in- ternal organization of the heart of man, and breathing animals gen- erally ; hence, in a cabinet, it would be exceedingly difficult for a practical anatomist to designate the human, from the heart of a'brute, provided they were of equal dimensions. Nothing is easier, than to fill a heart with wax, or even plaster paris, in order to exhibit, distinctly, all its vessels and its exact shape in a state of distention. The heart of any of the domestic animals, procured at the market may he thus filled, and kept for many years. 11 * 126 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Ultimum moriens, the last part to die, was an accurate remark of the old anatomists. In reptiles and fishes s° irritable is the heart, — and it is to be remembered, they possess only one half of ours, equivalent to the left one, — that long after the body is dead, the heart, separated from all its connexions, will continue to pulsate upon the table for half an hour ; — when it has exhausted itself, if it be touched with the point of a pin, it will be roused into ac- tivity again, and beat and throb as though it were con- scious of making a desperate struggle for existence. When the frog’s heart has been a whole hour under in- spection, it will continue to pulsate, even by blowing it. The mangled body, all this time disemboweled, shocking as it may seem, leaps about the house, without a heart, without blood, and with lacerated nerves and muscles, apparently just as well as before those cruelties were com- menced. Each heart has two cavities, as repeatedly remarked, — ■ but for the sake of conforming to the usual method of de- scription we will say, the heart has four cavities, two of which are the auricles, being uppermost, and two directly beneath them, the ventricles. The numerous threads, already spoken of, reaching from one side to the other, are called cordce tendincce, and those which are fleshy in the middle columnce and massce carnecE. Their office is merely to prevent the auricle from being overcharged, — acting precisely upon the principle of a tape the manufacturer tacks in to keep the lid of a trunk from falling open so far as to wrench off the hinges. From the lower part of the auricle, the opening into the ventricle is a smooth round hole, opened and closed by a valve that springs downward, but never, in any instance on record, has it been pushed up through. The valve is curi- ously supported by little tags, lines and weights to prevent its being pressed by any force that might have a tendency ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 127 to press it the wrong way, — and at the same time, these accompaniments assist in moulding the edges precisely to the ragged surface of the border of the hole, so that it shall be completely tight. That it is impervious, may be inferred from the fact, that the heart has been repeatedly ruptured by its own exertion, on the blood filling its ventri- cles, or auricles, yet the strong walls, half an inch in thicknesss, gave way, while the tiny, transparent valve, maintained its place. The strips which enter into its composition, being fanci- fully imagined to be three, takes the name of tricusped , because it has three points supposed to resemble teeth. On the top of the auricle, two or three large veins pre- sent their mouths : — one is the vena cava superior , the great trunk which brings all the blood from the head and arms into the reservoir; and another, nearly opposite, is the vena cava inferior, in which all the blood is brought from the feet and body. There is a third, very much smaller, however, the coronary vein, returning the blood which has circulated exclusively in the substance of the heart. Over this last opening, is a crescent shaped valve, highly important, for were it not there, every time the auricle contracted, it would force the blood wherever there was no resistance, which therefore, instead of allowing the venous blood to return into the common fountain, would be continually driven onward, so that the heart itself would suffer from an obstructed circulation : this half moon shaped valve, swinging downward, entirely opposes the ingress of blood from the auricle, yet freely allows that coming from the heart to make its exit by the valve. Can we contemplate anything more purely mechanical than this contrivance. Can any one in his senses argue himself into the absurd belief, that this peculiar arrange- ment, this striking adaptation of parts, all concurring to the 128 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. utmost perfectablility of the machine, splendid in its struc- ture happened all by chance ! The auricle being filled, — the sense of fulness, a pro- perty entirely independent of the mind, wholly beyond the control of the laws of volition, prompts it to expel it. This it does by collapsing ; by simultaneously contracting all its parts upon the mass within, which is thereby driven per saltum, through the great canal, down into the ventri- cle, — the second apartment. To admit it there, a pre- paration is necessary on the part of the ventricle, — and that consists in relaxing itself to enlarge its capacity for receiving the portion that is on the way from the auricle. At the instant of being filled, the tricusped valve, which was before pendulous, flaps back, cuts off all further com- munication, and thus holds all that has been admitted, to be afterwards disposed of. Because the auricle is obliged to make an effort only strong enough to urge its contents by the valve, it is com- paratively slightly made, and weaker than the ventricle. Having the ventricle filled, let us watch the process by which it clears itself. It has been premised, that its duty is to push the blood to the lungs, a distance of about ten inches, though if we suppose that the extreme ramifica- tions of the bronchial arteries are gorged by each throw of the ventricle, the power is equal to projecting the stream between seventy and eighty feet. This point is rather dubious ; anatomists have not satisfied themselves whether the ventricle actually presses the blood to the ex- treme twigs of the lungs, or only sends it beyond the valves in the mouth of the pulmonary artery, hardly a dis- tance of seven inches. Be that as it may, the fact is no- torious, — if it were not designed to exert a force more than ten times as great as the auricle, surely it would not have been made so very much stronger, and so amply pro- vided with materials for that purpose. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK 129 If the auricle can send a column of blood ten feet, the ventricle, by its additional physical advantages, could throw the same quantity fifty feet in precisely the same time. This looks a little like being able to reach the lungs, notwithstanding the reasonings of authors to the contrary. Suffice it, that when the stimulus of distention creates the exciting sensation, the walls contract, as in the other case, and every drop of the blood goes through a very delicately smooth, round hole, — the only outlet from the ventricle, besides the place of entrance, — and this is the beginning of the pulmonary artery, the great blood vessel of the lungs. Here w'e leave the description of the right heart, for the present, lest minuter details should distract, rather than enlighten those who may, per- haps, endeavor to obtain their first accurate notions of this local piece of anatomy, from our dissertation. Much as the heart of the body, that on the left side, re- sembles the one before us, there are peculiarities requiring a careful and patient investigation, if we are desirous of perfectly comprehending its structure and interesting functions. Were a well prepared specimen of the heart to be lying before the reader, he would regard the general appearance of strength in the left side, as though more depended upon it in the economy of life, than on its associate. Such is truly the fact, that the power manifested by it, is im- mensely superior. United, as just seen, are the left auricle and ventricle, with a similar valvular communication between them. The left auricle is considerably larger than the right, but bears more resemblance to a square box, in a state of dis- tention, than a sac. The entire office of this is to expel the blood forcibly into its neighboring ventricle. Uniting by degrees, all the veins gradually terminate in four con- siderable trunks, in the two sides of the auricle, nearly 130 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. opposite to each other. Two of them bring the blood from the right, and the others from the left lobes of the lungs. When the ventricle is full, let it be recollected that it must send its blood in two directions, viz., .towards the head, as well as the feet; and at the same time, supply all the intermediate viscera, muscles, nerves, and even the very bones themselves, however hard or remote from the centre of the circulation. Whether the ventricle accom- plishes the feat, remains to be discussed hereafter. By its contraction, a valve called the mitral, shuts back to pre- vent a regurgitation, — hence the blood can only escape through the canal provided for it. This is a long, strong tube, nearly an inch in diameter, in man, known as the aorta. Directly in the calibre of the aorta are three valves, so adjusted to the condition and shape of the artery, that the three, in being spread horizontally, (the posture has no influence on the action) they effectually close the chan- nel, so that nothing which may have passed the portals, can possibly be returned. Thus the functions of the two hearts are analogous; the principle of propulsion is the same, and indeed, when the office and organization of one is understood, it illustrates sufficiently tvell, the other. The line of union between the two, is termed the sep- tum cordis. All the fibres of the two ventricles have a winding direction, which give the heart a twisting or ver- micular kind of motion in its pulsations. The alternate- ly swelling and collapsing, as when full, or empty, are, the disastole and systole, terms used to express the pulsations. Although the heart is the fountain of life, dispensing the blood either directly, or indirectly, to the smallest twig, wherever located, in the body, it requires a circulation of the same vitalizing fluid, to sustain its own existence. For this purpose there are vessels creeping out at the sides of the aorta, at right angles with the trunk, just ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 131 above the semi-lunar valves, which wend their way direct- ly to the divisional horizontal line, between the auri- cles and ventricles, where, carefully imbedded in a trian- gular depression, out of the way, the coronary arteries are continually sending off branches that dip down into the substance of the heart, supplying it abundantly with arterial blood. When it has completed its route, and is in readiness to go on again, to get within the cavities of the heart, from the extremities of the coronary arteries, veins commence, called coronary, which keep gradually uniting, and ultimately coalesce in one single tube, the coronary vein, the diameter of a writing pen, whose mouth was found, on examination of the right auricle, be- hind a beautiful little coronary valve. In this way the substance of the heart is supplied with nutriment, to sus- tain it in a course of activity, that never tires, and which never ceases to palpitate, till death puts a stop to its motion. NERVES OF THE HEART. These are few, arising from the sympathetic and eighth pair of nerves. The sympathetic , is a kind of line of union receiving a deputation from all the principal nerves throughout the frame, by which a connexion is maintained with all the different parts of the complicated whole. The eighth pair of nerves arise in the brain, but traverse down the side of the neck into the chest, following the course of the windpipe and eesophagus, quite to the stom- ach. F rom these, there being a pair, one on either side, fil- aments shoot off to the heart. The minutas of the course is not essential. In this way the heart holds a line of communication with the work-shop, the stomach, where it looks for the manufacture of the material from which the blood is elaborated ; and by the other set of nervous 132 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. cords, it possesses a general relationship to all the portions of the living body, which look up to it for a maintenance. Placing the heart entirely beyond the reach of the in- constant, unstable will, was indeed a happy circumstance in the economy of our being. No one can put a stop to the pulsations of his heart, in a fit of despair or rage, as thousands would, were it possible. It still works on, by night as well as day, though the intellect sleeps, — and thus we are safely protected. If the pulsations and the maintenance of life, through the heart’s agency, depend- ed on our vigilance, how soon we should forget the charge, and suffer the chronometer of life to run down the first time it was left in our care. Wisdom, — the manifesta- tions of an Ever Living, Omniscient Deity, are displayed at every stage of anatomical research. HEART-CASE, OR PERICARDIUM. An allusion, merely, has been made to the heart-case, or pericardium, the office and importance of which is very likely to be overlooked. It is the membrane which far- mers sometimes make money purses of, on account of its softness, toughness and capacity. In the chest, lying be- tween the breast bone in front and the spinal column be- hind, it is like a bag, kept on the stretch by a hoop : on either side are the lungs, confined, however, in their own appropriate cavities. A duplication of its inner coat in- vests the substance of the heart, closely, and on the sur- face, spread over the heart, as well as from the inside of the pericardium, a halitus is exhaled, that lubricates the cavity, — admitting the gentlest possible motions, as it swings in the apartment. Though the heart is moving about, its apex being sometimes at one point, and some- times at another, according to our position, the pericar- dium never moves from its place, being always kept upon the stretch. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 133 Fig. 56. a, the heart, in its natural position, the sternum being taken away, and the pericardium laid open, in front, to give a full and perfect view of the organ ; c, is the arch of the aorta, or primitive artery of the body, from which all others arise; e, is the diaphragmatic nerve, having its origin high up, on the side of the neck, and travelling down into the chest, on the outside of the 'pericardium, or heart case, to reach the diaphragm, — the partition that divides the chest from the abdomen. If this nerve is divided, all motion in the dia- phragm will cease. It-should be recollected that it is a muscle of respiration, — rising and falling with the inflation and collapse of the lungs. The base, or rather underside of the heart, as it is suspend- 12 134 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. ed from above, rests on tbo diaphragm at the lower b ; b, b, i, the heart case ; d, the descending cava, or great vein that returns the blood from the head and arms, into the right auricle of the heart. ARTERIES. To describe the arteries in a manner intelligible to per- sons who have never examined an anatomical preparation, in which these vessels are distended with wax, is certainly a difficult undertaking. Fig. 57. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 135 Explanation of Fig. 57. By referring back to the plan of the perfect double heart, i shows the origin of the carotid artery, a branch from the arch of the aorta. In this very accurate plan of the superficial arteries of the head, a is the continued trunk of the carotid artery : it is this vessel which is usually divided by suicides ; it is this vessel also, with its mate on the other side of the neck, which, when compressed, causes ap- poplexv and death, f, the occipital artery, going to the muscles on the back of the head; b, is the larynx, or vocal box; c, indicates the place where the carotid divides into the n, the external carotid, branching onward; b, also is the superior thyroid artery; p, the thyroid gland, and inferior thyroid artery ; k, the temporal artery, felt beating in the temple, and sometimes selected to bleed from in desperate cases ; o , the left subclavian artery ; l , the masseter mus- cle ; h, depressor anguli oris, having running under it the external maxillary artery ; i, the zygomaticus major, directing the eye also to the coronary arteries of the lips ; q, the nasal artery ; r, the ter- mination of the temporal artery, in minute twigs on the top of the head. After all that is said about the catalogue of arteries laid down in the human body, there is really but one artery, all others being branches from it. But to answer the purpos- es of the surgeon, it is absolutely necessary to treat of each twig distinctly, in order that its relation to other parts may be impressed on the mind of an operator. This one artery, the primitive trunk, is the aorta, rear- ing itself out of the left ventricle of the heart : collectively the parent tube, with its subdivisions into thousands of tortuous pipes, is denominated the aortic system; and when arteries and veins are spoken of together, as a whole, the term sanguiferous system is used. i 136 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Fig. 58. Explanation of Fig. 58. This diagram may be regarded as perfectly true to nature. The design is to show how the blood is conveyed to deep seated muscles of the face, and to the membranes covering the brain, within the skull: — all the vessels now under the oye, are branches, originat- ing from the trunk of the external carotid artery, shown in the pre- ceding plan. a. is the middle or great meningeal artery of the dura mater. By the side of the ear, lies the trunk of the internal max- illary artery, supplying a vast quantity of blood to the muscles of the face; part of the jaw and the process of the temporal bone is re- moved, to explain the manner of its course under and about them. h, a branch of the inferior maxillary artery , seen in the other plan : c, posterior temporal branch ; d, pterygoid arteries, supplying those muscles which move the jaw, in chewing ; i, buccal artery , going to the buccinator, or trumpeter’s muscle ; f anterior deep temporal branch ; e, infra orbitar artery. The bone in this figure, is supposed to have been taken away, in order to exhibit the arteries a which branch, like the limbs of a tree, over the surface of the dura mater. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. J37 As the great cylinder rises above the top of the heart, thick, white and shining, it is bulged out at the sides, in in three directions, at the place where the three semilunar valves are fixed. The enlargement is known as the sinus of Valsalvi, from its supposed discoverer. Gradually it be- comes smaller, preserving, however, a diameter equal to three fourths of an inch, till it gets above the heart, where Fig. 59. Explanation of Fig. 59. This figure has been introduced to show the manner of supplying the brain with arterial blood by the vertebral arteries. It will doubt- less be recollected by the critical student, that in the side arms of the vertebrae of the neck, there were round holes, from one bone to the other. Through those holes, an artery creeps securely into the skull, unexposed to the thousand accidents to which the carotid ar- teries are liable. If, for example, an operation requires that the carotids should be tied, so that no blood can pass in them, a supply for the brain is secured by these vertebrals. When they have ar- rived within the skull, at the underside of the brain, the two mark- ed 6, b, unite into one — which is c, — and then branches off among 133 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. the convolutions of the brain, indicated by the various letters; g, is the little brain or cerebellum ; f, the middle lobe of the brain, or cerebrum; e, the anterior lobe of the cerebrum; and a, the optic nerves, or nerves of vision. This is no fanciful distribution of the arteries of this organ, but a perfectly true representation. it is gracefully curved over and upon the spine, down which it runs the entire circuit of the chest and abdomen. On the last joint, though not constantly, of the back, it divides into two trunks, to be sent to the inferior extremi- ties. On the highest point of the arch, branches shoot off, to carry blood to the head and arms. Those going up the side of the neck, are the carotids, the arteries which suicides divide in cutting their throats. It is by com- pressing these, as in hanging, that death is produced : — when they arrive at the angle of the under jaw, they divide into external and internal carotids : — the deep seated or inner ones go through an orifice in the bottom of the skull, to supply the brain ; while the externals creep up by the side of the ear, face, &c., supplying all the muscles and bones in the vicinity. Fig. GO. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 139 Explanation of Fig. 60. A very large quantity of blood, as we have seen, is sent to the brain, by four arteries, viz. the two carotids and two vertebrals. By this plan, it will be plainly understood how the blood gets back again to the heart. The superior longitudinal sinus, Fig. 1, is nothing more than a vein, — of a triangular shape, beginning with- in the skull, opposite the root of the nose, and going backward, be- tween the bone and outer membrane of the brain, over the top of the head — increasing in size as it goes, till it reaches the level of the posterior lobe, — where it divides into two canals, marked 3. 3. Many twigs of veins, pointed out by the other figures, bring the blood from other places in the head, but ultimately, they all join one or the other branches of the main trunks of the sinus: 3. 3. are called lateral sinuses, because they are on the sides, as it were of the head. These two trunks pass through a fissure, in the under side of the skull, between the temporals and occipital bone, and ap- pearing by the side of the neck, are there called the jugular veins. The external jugulars return the blood from the face, &c, and finally join the interna! jugulars, — and there, by entering the chest, be- come enlarged by the union of the veins of the arms — when the whole are concentrated in one tube, — that last one, is the descend- in'* vena cava, — emptying all the blood from the head, and brain, and arms, into the auricle of the right heart. The jugular veins, therefore, are the great veins of the brain, and commence behind the forehead bone, just between the eyes, within the skull. At the last joint of the spine, the lumbar region, we left the descending artery, divided into two branches. In as- cending from the heart, the large artery is called the as-, cending aorta, and having made the curve, the descend- ing tube is tlic descending aorta. These two trunks, now lying just within the brim of the pelvis, divide again, sending a supply of blood to the muscles and apparatus within the pelvis. The first trunks are the external iliacs, and the second set are internal iliacs. Further down, in the thigh, in each limb, the arteries appear under the name of femoral arteries : — in the ham, behind the knee joint, the poplitceal; still fur- ther, by the side of the shin bone, the tibial ; in the foot, the planter, and so on, till the divisions become too minute to be discernible to the naked eye. Between the arch and the pelvis, various little twigs are thrown off laterally to nourish the lungs, diaphragm, 140 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. liver, stomach, spleen, and other abdominal viscera, — each bearing a name indicating its destination, or office, or supposed resemblance to familiar objects. Here, then, we have exhibited a scheme of the arterial system, per- haps quite as well as to have accompanied the text with many more drawings. The arteries must be nourished themselves, by a free circulation of blood in their coats, as much as the heart; otherwise, were they independent of the rest of the living body, they would be extraneous, and could not contribute to its wants. On the sides of all the arteries, millions of vessels, infinitely fine, more nearly like tho down on a peach than arteries, conduct a circulation. This tissue or net work of miniature arteries, is the vasa vasorum. Finally, the arteries are made up of several coats, as though one tube were thrust into another, — which are muscu- lar and membraneous, according to their importance. As they recede from the heart, the tendency is to keep subdividing, to supply every possible part, — hence, ulti- mately, they become too small to be seen. Between these points, and the commencement of the veins, is ah inter- mediate set of real or imaginary vessels, the capillaries, through which the blood must pass to reach the veins. Such is the monstrous size of the aorta in a whale, that the whizzing velocity of the blood, at each systole, is audible to the harpooners : with the stethoscope, quite a modern invention, the rush of the blood may be heard in our own species. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 141 Explanation of Fig. 61. It is utterly impossible as well as unprofitable, in an el- ementary work of this kind, intended for youth, to picture every vessel ; hut we were desirous of displaying the ar- teries of the arm and palm of the hand, on account of the beauty and great importance of the structure. What is seen in this drawing, exists in every living arm. Over the bend of the elbow, a mere web lies between the great artery and vein. The vein is taken away, but it will show how dangerous it is to bleed the vein, at this point, on ac- count of the nearness of the artery, which is liable to be wounded by the point of the lancet. A knowledge of this fact, should deter every one from employing surgeons in whom they have not the most implicit confidence, that they understand anatomy, a, b , c, d, e, f g, h, k, mark the branches of the brachial artery a, as they are, in relation to the muscles ; i is the fassia or the membrane, between the artery and vein, and which is a tendinous strip sent off from the biceps flexor cubiti or bending muscle of the fore arm, as though it was express- ly designed to confine the throbbing artery in its place, and protect it from the injuries to which it seems liable by carrying burdens in the arms. This strip of tendon is like the arch of a bridge, — for if the arm is bent, it is still tense, and therefore always a de- fence. This brachial artery, near the elbow, divides into branch- 142 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK.; es; — one of them sinks into the muscles, to supply them, by the side of the ulna, on a line with the little finger, and hence called the ulnar artery. The main trunk of the brachial , however, travels downward, quite superficially, near the edge of the radius, and therefore has the name of radial artery. In the wrist, being just under the skin, it is pressed against the bone, where its pulsations are felt : — feeling the pulse, in the language of physicians, simply means the sensation conveyed by the throbbings of this artery, when thus compressed. Further on in the palm of the hand, it forms half a circle, termed the palmer arch, and from its outward curve, digital branches convey the blood to the fingers and thumb. That the arteries possess the property of contracting upon the blood cannot be denied. The heart, were it in- tended to force the column, independently of any assis- tance from the arteries, through their whole extent, we should suppose, was not adequate to the undertaking, be- cause the proportions are unequal, in comparing the engine with the distance to which it is required to send the blood. The pulsations of the arteries, indicate that they continue and propagate the action which was commenced by the heart. Were it not so, of what Use are the valves at the mouth of the aorta and in the pulmonary artery ? If the volume to which an onward impetus had been given, could pur- sue the tortuous windings, quite to the capillaries, of what need were the valves 1 The truth appears fo be this, viz., the ventricle only throws the blood beyond the valves, which are thrust across the canal to prevent a regurgita- tion, and then the artery compresses it in turn. Onward it moves, to some other place, where, before the velocity that has been given it is lost, a second, third and fourth pulsation, as the case may be, conpletes the circle of ac- tion. Do we not actually feel that the artery pulsates in the wrist ; and do we not also recollect that in the fish, an artery, the aorta, assumes the office of a heart ; in the vermin too, did we not show that the aorta and accompa- nying arteries carried on the perfect circulation, without any heart at all ? ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 143 The arteries are not passive tubes, imbedded in the concealed interstices of the muscles to conduct a fluid in which they have no part nor interest. They are not qui- escent, like the wooden pump logs of an aqueduct corpo- ration, remaining at rest, till something disturbs them : — no ; they are portions of a living whole, endowed with a vitality which results from this peculiar combination of or- ganized matter. They feel the vigor, or the decay of other parts ; they become diseased by over excitement ; sicken, refuse to pursue their accustomed service ; and when the crazy, shattered frame of the old man begins to tottle, the arteries, too, begin to flag, and finally cease to act at all. In old age they ossify — becoming perfectly bony tubes, for many inches together : by over action, they are en- larged into irregular sacks, or aneurisms ; and in ad- vanced cases, they burst, and the heart’s blood is wasted so quickly, that life may be said to have exploded. The tendency of age, is to relax the muscular fibre, and in this general debility, the arterial coats suffer — their diameters enlarge, and their power is diminished as their transverse diameter increases. The energy of the pulse is lost; the arteries, however, make an effort to sustain their accustomed vigor, by assuming a more tortuous course, — showing, that the short curves which are made under these circumstances, are favorable to the accumula- tion of physical power. VEINS. It is much easier to account for the propulsion of the blood from the heart, through the arteries, than to explain the process of its return through the veins. Their origin is in the capillaries, quite at the extreme terminations of the arteries, growing larger as they advance towards the centre of the body. They are seen through the skin at the ends of the fingers, on the arms, and indeed every- 144 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Fig. 63. Explanation of Fig. 62. The anatomy of the veins being much less intricate than the arteries, to understand, it has not been thought necessary to present more than one plan of some of the most superficial vessels of this order. On the calf of the leg, there are g numerous veins, just under the skin, uniting into fewer and fewer branches, as they rise upon the limb, till they finally unite in two principal trunks, one deep seated, and the other super- ficial, which pass into the pelvis, at the gi'oin, and thus convey the blood to the ascending vena cava , the great vein that carries all the blood to the heart, which has been collected below it. By turning to the drawing of the double heart, Fig. 2, that great vein will be seen. d. The gastrocnemius. e. The nervus saphaer.us minor. f The branch arising from the pop- liteal. g. The nervus communicans, aris- ing from the fibular nerve. h. The popliteal nerve. i. Tlie fibular nerve. k. The popliteal vein. /. The vena saphaena minor. m. The popliteal artery. n. n. The arterise, distributed upon the calf of the leg. p, p. The muscles on the back of the thigh. d. The gastrocnemius. where, creeping upward, becoming increased in size at every step, till they eventually are reduced in number to two principal trunks, the superior and inferior cavas, at the right auricle. Their coats, which are the same as the arteries, are thinner and weaker — more dilatable, and consequently much oftener diseased and liable to acci- ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 145 dents. Through their whole track, with a few excep- tions, there is a line of valves, the office of which is to hold the column from falling back, that has once passed above the lock. So frequent are these valves, that they may be detected every inch, in the great veins of the arms. By compressing the vessel above one of them, the blood at once accumulates in the form of a knot, — showing ac- curately the exact place of its locality. The principle of fixing a ligature round a limb, as a preparatory step to bleeding, with a lancet, is to stop the blood in its course, — there being no possibility of its going backward, as it is held by the valve, — therefore, as the canal is closed by compression above, the escape is at the incision. We will not pretend to inform our readers how the blood travels up the veins, — lying, as they do, perfectly quies- cent. It seems as though there must he a propulsive force exerted somewhere in the vicinity of the capillaries, to thrust the blood along, yet dissection gives us no clue to the mystery. The veins also perform other interesting duties, acting as absorbents, accompanying the arteries, wherever they may go, to be servants in waiting, — to pick up, and carry home whatever may have been conveyed to a distance by their superiors. CIRCULATION OF TIIF. BLOOD. Were it not necessary in the plan of animal life to pre- sent every particle of blood, at certain intervals, to the influence of atmospheric air, there would have been no need of a heart. We might have been born with a suffi- cient quantity in our bodies, where it might have remained undisturbed, fulfilling the intentions of its design. Such a state of things, however, is not admissible, because it is secreted into the vessels to increase the growth, to repair 13 146 ANATOMICAL CLASS ROOK, the wastes, and to sustain the whole by its vivifying pres» ence. Every bone, muscle, tendon, nerve, membrane and fluid, is made out of the blood. As the parts to be made cannot fabricate themselves, and afterwards take their ap- pointed stations, the blood goes to the spot where this is to be effected, leaving material for a bone in one place, glue to hold particles together in another, and so on, in its ac- tive round. But, on the other hand, these particles can- not fashion themselves ; — the point of an artery, there- fore, at which they are given off, assumes the office of an artisan, and moulds and finishes the work. We here discover that the arteries possess a wonderful property, which was not spoken of in the preceding para- graphs. Industrious and unerring in all the first years of life, invariably conveying just the soit of material that may be wanted to mend a broken bone, to heal a cut finger, or to lubricate a joint, they grow careless in forty years : — they neglect supplying the eyes with sufficient quantities of humors to distend the ball, so we meet the emergency by wearing spectacles: they are forgetful of the order by which their early labors were regulated, — and as one mistake leads to the commission of another ; lime is car- ried to the heart, where the valves become bony , the urinary apparatus is carelessly watched, and stones form in the bladder ; the teeth are not supplied with earthy matter in season to prevent their decay : — the hair is not watered at the roots, and it becomes dry and falls off. Such cursory remarks as these, exhibit a bird’s-eye view of the importance and multifarious functions of the arte- ries, and demonstrates the high value of the blood, from which so much and such inimitable machinery is formed. As we now comprehend the use of the circulation, we will next endeavor to solve another apparently difficult problem — the why it is necessary to throw the blood into the air cells of the lungs. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. J47 fSig. 63. Explanation of Fig. 6;?. If the student is desirous of thoroughly and clearly understanding the circulation of the blood, as it moves in his own body, let him stow recapitulate the subject, by following the venous or black blood from the two great supplying vein's, till it arrives in the main dis- tributing artery, purified, re-vitalized and in a condition to sustain animal life. the descending vena cava, returning black blood from the head and upper extremities. n, the ascending vena cava, returning the same kind of blood from the lower parts of the body. ti, the right auricle of the heart, where both veins meet. ; p , and x, veins from the liver, spleen and bowels, uniting with the inferior cava. The auricle being filled, contracts and forces the blood into b, the ventricle: next the ventricle contracts and sends it into k, the pul- monary artery, which branches into 1 , 1 , to supply the lungs in both sides of the chest From'the lungs, where a scarlet color has been given it, four veins of the lungs gather it together, and deposit it in the left auricle r- that contracts, and the blood is driven into the left ventricle a; lastly, the ventricle contracts and throws it into c, 14S ANATOMICAL CLASS COOK. (lie aorta, which conducts it over and through every bone, muscle and organ. Under a solar microscope, the circulation of the blood in the thin web of a frog’s foot, and several other reptiles, may be distinctly ob- served; and in insects, while they remain worms, the pulsations of (he artery which acts instead of a heart, are readily perceived. In the oyster, the heart pulsates about thirty-seven times in a minute. Before birth, the blood, instead of going from the auricle of the right heart down into the ventricle, to be thrown into the lungs, passes directly through a valve in the partition wall between the two auricles, and thus gets into the left side, or left heart. The reason why the blood is not sent to the lungs, is because they have not yet assumed the function of breathing. At biith, when the first breath of air is inhaled that ever entered the lungs, the valve closes up the opening forever, and the blood then takes a circuitous route through the lungs, for the reason which has been already so familiarly ex- plained. The sign of the vitality of the blood is its scarlet colon which it only exhibits in the heart and arteries. When it goes from the heart, it is charged with the presence, or admixture, of every material which can possibly be re- quired; but ou its way to the capillaries, all these several materials, supposed to be in solution, are dropped on the way, so that when the refuse, that is, the fluid, which was merely the medium of conveyance, enters the extreme be- ginnings of the veins, its color is almost black. Having, therefore, imparted all its needful qualities, it is totally unfit to be sent round a second time, till it is re- charged. To obtain this quality, now lost, the right heart sends it into the lungs. Surrounding each distended air cell, is a thin sheet of black venous blood, which by the mysterious influence of the contained air, changes the color, instanter, to its original scarlet. The orgasm, the suddenness of the change, cannot be conceived — yet the whole mass is re-vitalized, and is now carried into the left heart, to be again sent over the old ground. Such, in familiar language, is the circulation of the blood — a pro- cess well calculated to raise our admiration for the charac- ter and transcendent power, and condescending goodness of our Creator. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 149 Anatomists in treating of this important fluid, speak of its being composed of three substances, viz ; serum, the watery, yellowish fluid ; fibrin, the crassamention, or cake ; and the coloring matter. Were we not restricted in this work to certain limits, it would certainly be an entertain- ing theme to detail the extravagant whims which the old authors entertained upon the subject of the red globules of the blood. It actually seems, to a calm spectator, who surveys the past and compares it with the present, as though the physiologists of the two last centuries bowed down to make themselves positively ridiculous, by the sweat of the brow. When, by some fortuitous circum- stance, it was ascertained that the florid hue of the blood depended on the actual pressure of floating globules, of different sizes, ye! so minutely small as to appear like the coloring of an infusion, they set to work in earnest to in- vestigate their use and structure. About the same time, un- luckily, a philosopher invented the compound microscope, which enabled every body to peep into microcosms, where they beheld sights, quite imaginary in most cases, more astonishing than were ever before revealed to human eyes. Whether they saw distinctly or not, it is now of little consequence ; but at all events, they asserted the want of uniformity in the size of the globules, though each one was a hexagon, built up regularly and mathematically, as an architect could construct a country seat, of six smaller hexagons ! However small — and some where supposed to be immensely beyond the magnifying reach of their glasses — they were all framed in the same workman-like manner. All this fine discovery being settled and indisputably admitted — for it would have been outrageously impolite for those who had no microscopes, to call the marvellous discovery in question — their wits were in labor to devise a rank for them in the circulation. This, too, was accom- id* 150 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. plished ; but to find out the diseases that originated in consequence of the mistakes, or refractory conduct of the compound balloons, was a poser. There is nothing, by the way, like perseverance. A man who is lost in a fog, has but one course to pursue, and that is to take care of himself: so it was with our discoverers; they had their mathematical bladders on hand, which must be disposed of — and here they are, in all their beauty of arrange- ment, from the plastic hands of their discoverers. Diseases were the effects arising from error loci — that is, some of the large globules, fitted to the calibre of a par- ticular artery, got wedged by some sad mishap at the mouth of a smaller vessel, or, becoming angry, refused to operate in the harness, so puffed up — clogged the pass- age — and this produced inflammation, out of the modifi- cations of which fevers, dropsies, and all the other ills that flesh is heir to, had a bona fida origin ! Enough has been written to stimulate our readers to the perusal of the old records of physiological folly, in the original tongue, if they wish for an uninterrupted history of that singular discovery. To those who are more inter- ested in the anatomical facts we have been relating, touching the heart and the arteries, it is needless to re- commend them to the writings of those who are teachers by profession. Perhaps we may have committed ourselves in the ardor of the moment, by advancing ideas quite as absurd as those which we have been condemning; but in the demonstration of parts, we are conscious of being right, having given the anatomy of the circulation as we have found it, by years of toil ; and as it regards theories, things made at little expense, like castles in the air, we are not tenacious about the respect that may be paid to them. Having been right merry over the conceits of our profes- sional predecessors, we are quite willing to be laughed at in turn. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 151 QUESTIONS. Had the ancients a knowledge of the circulation ? How did they explain the movements of the blood ? What is the heart ? Is the heart a single or compound organ ? In what animals is the heart single P Why is it necessarily single in fishes ? How does it act? How many cavities has the heart ? What prevents the blood from rushing into the wrong apart- ments ? Has it a circulation of blood for its own service P What are the auricles? What are the ventricles ? What is the use of the valves ? Has the heart any nerves ? Why has the will no control over it? Where is the heart located ? Is it covered by any membrane ? Why are not the pulsations felt in the right side ? How does the right heart differ from the left? What is an artery ? Where is the principal artery of the body found ? What veins return all the blood to the heart ? Are there valves in the veins ? Has the aorta any valves ? 152 ANATOMICAL CLASS COOK. Where does the pulmonary artery arise ? Where are the carotid arteries ? By what arteries is the brain supplied with blood ? Is the heart a forcing engine ? How are the pulses perceived in the wrist? What is the use of the pericardium ? What change is effected on the blood in the lungs ? What color has the blood in the veins ? What color has the blood in the arteries P Does blood circulate in the bones ? By what organs are all parts of the body fashioned ? Of what use is the blood in an animal ? How is the blood supplied ? What is the object of taking food into the stomach ? Is it known by what power blood is moved in the veins ? What is the composition of the blood ? Why are some animals denominated cold blooded ? Is the blood warm in reptiles having a single heart ? Can any animal exist long, deprived of its heart ? What is understood by the irritability of the heart? ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 153 THE NERVES, OR NEUROLOGY. Neurology teaches us the anatomy and physiology ot the nerves. The brain is the radiating point whence the nerves, to a considerable extent, have their origin. The spinal marrow, from which an immense number of nerves branch out, is considered in reality by some, a prolongation of the brain itself. Phrenologists, on the other hand, sup- pose the brain arises from the spinal marrow, because the brain is sometimes wanting, but the nerves are always present. In the first place, the contents of the head are divided into the cerebrum and cerebellum, or in other words, the great and small brains. Above the level of the ears, all the upper portion of the skull is occupied by the cerebrum, wnich is the immediate seat of intellect. Below that level, in the lower and back part of the head, is the cerebellum 154 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Fig. 64 Explanation of Fig. 64. This is an exhibilion of a vertical section of the bones of the head, fare and brain, showing precisely the appearance, were the head di- vided in the middle, from the top, down to the neck. No letters of leference have been inlroduced, because the plate will be doubly valuable, when the general relation of the different portions have been learned from the text and the other diagrams. The reader will then trace with his eye the outline of the little brain, the cerebrum, or large brain, the seat of thought ; the ventricles and other interest- ing points, which, though intricate, are nevertheless worth the trou- ble of understanding. The mechanical arrangement is only contem- plated in these illustrations: — the functions of the brain in a treatise, purely elementary, would be wholly useless. or little brain. They are separated from each other by a membrane, tensely stretched. Otherwise, the weight of the upper mass would oppress t he functions of the lower one. By a vertical line, the brain is divided into hemi- spheres, as right and left ; but when it is dislodged from the head, and inverted, the underside presents three promi- nent risings, which are denominated lubes. Those por- tions of the brain directly behind each eye, are the ante- rior lobes. Those at the back side of the head, the poste- rior; and the third, between them both, are the middle lobes. anatomical class book. 155 COATS OF THE I! It A I N AND NERVES. In this plain exposition of the anatomy of the nervous system, ii would be an endless labor to attempt a minute detail of the three different coverings, which surround the intellectual apparatus, independently of the bony box, the strong wall that envelops the whole. firm coat, or — Dura Mater . When the skull is opened, a dense, shining membrane is presented, that keeps the brain together, when the bones are taken entirely away. Completely embracing the entire organ, it becomes thicker round the medulla ob/onga, to defend this narrowing of the brain, over the bones of the neck, — then continues its course through the whole length of the back-bone, embracing the mar- row' : wherever a branch or side nerve is given off, a por- tion of the dura mater follows it, precisely as the bark of the trunk covers the branching limbs. In the still smaller divisions of the nerve, a continuous tube of the dura mater is found, till both are finally lost on the exterior surface. This membrane, let it be remembered, holds the office of defending the pulp of the nervous matter within its em- brace, wherever the nerves may traverse. transparent coat, or — Tunica Araclmoides. Perhaps there is not a more delicate, transparent mem- brane in the whole body than this, — so much resembling a spider’s web, that from this circumstance it has its name. This lies over the convolutions of the brain, directly under the dura mater, and does not dip down between the pro- minences. Beside surrounding the brain, like the other, it has precisely the same infinite distribution — making the second tube for defending the nerve. 156 : ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. soft coat, or — Pia Malcr. Blood must be everywhere freely circulated ; but in the brain, it is necessarily thrown into that portion which is the seat of thought, in very minute, hair-like currents, — otherwise the force of the heart, which acts upon the principle of a forcing-pump or syringe, would tear it to pieces. This pia mater, therefore, is an immense, broad, thin net of blood-vessels, following the fissures and wind- ing into the very centre of the brain, and also pursues the nerves, wherever they may go, always in attendance to furnish the vital fluid, on which health, sensibility, and, indeed, all the vital functions are forever depending. STRUCTURE OF THE BRAIN. The centre of the nervous system is the brain, within the bones of the head, with the exception of that class of animals, which, as it were, are the uniting links be- tween the vegetable and animal kingdom; — the worms are without it : fishes too, and amphibious reptiles have scarcely a development of the nervous mass, entitling it to the appellation of brain. We suppose, however, that we are contemplating the human brain, a singular, but splendidly constructed piece of mechanism, made up of an infinite congeries of delicate cords, — and equally at- tenuated blood vessels. It was once thought that we had but one brain, but modern discovery assures us that we possess four ! and that two of them mutually cooperate, in function, with the others. There is no particular point where the brain can be said to begin, nor a point, in fact, where it terminates. Let the reader suppose that on the first joint of the neck, just under the head, two large cords are lying, side by side : entering the great natural opening of the skull, they are ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 157 subdivided into millions of threads, — portions of which assume different forms, to which anatomists give specific names, — as cruri, pons, &c. But as the threads are merely subdivisions of the one cord, — the mystery is, at first view, how comes such an increased quantity '? noth- is more simple than an explanation. Admitting the fibres to be indefinitely long, — the folding and refolding of one upon another, in conjunction with an artery and vein — there is no difficulty in giving an answer. For the evi- dence of a fibrous structure, this infinite volume of threads, we refer to the positive demonstration of the brain by the late Dr Spurzheim. Most of the organs are double, and it was highly neces- sary that the brain should be so also. The great brain cerebrum, in the upper part of the head and over the eyes, is the immediate seat of intellect, and in halves; in other words, there is one on each side, divided, above from each other, in the middle, by a membrane. Under this, in the lower and back part of the head, is the cere- bellum, or little brain, belonging to the animal system, and totally different in function from the other; this too, is in two pieces. Below the point on the neck bone on which the two lateral cords, termed medulla oblonga, lie, extending with- in the bones, the whole length of the spine or back-bone, the same cords are seen — giving out, between the points, ribs, &c, branches, — called spinal nerves. Those within the chest take the name of thoracic nerves; — still lower, between the ribs, intercostal , and still further down, be- tween the bones of the back, the lumbar nerves. The •limbs of a tree, shooting out from the trunk, precisely rep- resent this part of the anatomy of the spinal marrow. Let it be remembered, that, from the head to the termi- nation of the spinal marrow, two cords, two brains, two little brains, and two distinct sets of lateral nerves exist 14 158 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK lying, however, in juxtaposition, intimately united by the decussation of fibres, which run from one to the other. This cerebral substance is so soft, that without its en- veloping membranes, it would fall to pieces, by its own weight. These membranes possess but a very slight de- gree of sensibility ; — being of a mealy whiteness, and in the skull possessing but little elasticity, though in the body and limbs, this quality necessarily exists, or they would become elongated and flaccid in the constant flexions of the extremities. Whilst this nervous matter preserves its vitality, it pre- serves a slight degree of cohesion, but after death, it speedily begins to decay, and ultimately melts down into an oily fluid. As before remarked, the composition of the pulp of the nerves and the brain, are precisely the same, in appearance, in life, and chemical analysis conclusively presents the same elements after death. When wounded, even badly, the brain feels no pain, al- though the very centre of sensation. It is not uncommon for portions of the brain to escape through fractures of the skull, and yet the person perfectly recover, and never suf- fer, in any quality of his mind, from the loss of this impor- tant corporal substance. Let it here be recollected that all the nerves which go from the head or spinal marrow, however much they may be distributed within the muscles, invariably run towards the surface of the body ; they do not, however, end in blunt extremities under the skin, like the cut end of a twine; — on the contrary, they are so infinitely subdivided, that the single cord which we find between two points of the spine may finally become a perfect brush, in the course of dis- tribution, and lost in the masses of flesh through which it travels, till it can no longer be recognised by the naked eye. ANATOMICAL, CLASS BOOK 159 Explanation of Fig. 65. S, the annular ligament which binds down the muscles and vessels to the ankle bone, to keep them in place- i?, the extensor brevis digitorum, which assists in extending the toes. Fig. 1, superficial threads of the deepseated nerves of the leg and instep, emerging upon the top, and losing themselves in the skin. Fig. 2, are long, but superficial cutaneous branches of the tibial nerve, sent into the skin and cellular membrane at the root of the toes and ball of the great toe. The trunk, from which these twigs have their origin, originated within the pelvis, yet, notwithstanding they were concealed, deep in the flesh, the whole length of the limb, they finally make their appearance at the surface. This figure, therefore, is designed to il- lustrate the position maintained in the text, viz, that all the nerves have a direction towards the external surface of the body. THE MECHANISM OF THE NERVES. As the brain, all experience proves, is the seat of intel- lect, so also, incontestible evidence teaches us that the nerves are parts which are susceptible of painful or pleas- Fig. 65. / 1(30 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. urable sensations. Thus a piece of sugar is grateful to the gustitory or tasting nerves of the tongue ; — but to- bacco, before accustomed to its nauseating character, has a directly opposite effect. Pressure on the sciatic or great nerve of the leg, by sitting too long in one position, pro- duces the disagreeable feeling, commonly called sleep in the foot ; if, however, the attitude is not changed, to re- lieve the pressure, a partial palsy of the limb must ensue. Difficult as it is to ascertain precisely, the structure of the inner substance of the nerves, it is reasonable to infer, from analogy, as the substance is so exactly like that of the brain, that they are constituted of a multitude of mi- nute, soft, pulpy parallel cords. Instead of saying that the nerves have their origin in the brain or spinal marrow, they should be called the prolongations of the brain. Their internal substance, both physically and chemically con- sidered, presents the same results. They are the tenta- cula3 of the brain, — analogous to the feelers of insects, by which it takes cognizance of external things: — the instruments of the will, and the ever faithful sentinels at the outposts, giving the earliest and most certain intel- ligence of whatever is of consequence to the safety and well being of the individual. If they possess an organization like the brain, or in fact, are simply a prolongation of it, into the extremities of the limbs, the question may be asked why they are not con- scious, in their individual capacity — and why it is neces- sary to make reference to the superior mass of the same material, within the skull ? In the very lowest orders of animals, such is the case, to a certain extent: the worms are without brain, yet they pursue unvarying instinctive actions, and avoid enemies or caress friends, with as much certainty as those pos- sessing a well marked one. Nothing can be more perplexing, than the nerves, being ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. JG! of all sizes, from a quarter of an inch in diameter, to hair- like threads, invisible to the naked eye. Certain it is, that this apparent confusion presents the same appearance in all animals of the same species : Fig. 66. 14 * 162 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Explanations of Fig. 66. MUSCLES. A. Pectoral muscle. B. Detoid muscle. C. Latissimus dorsi muscle. D. Serratus major anticus muscle. E. Biceps Flexor Brachii. F. Round tendon of the biceps, crossing (he elbow joint. G. The broad expansion of the biceps, shooting into the fassia of the fore arm. H. Triceps extensor muscle. I. Bracheus internus muscle, an auxiliary to the biceps. K. Coraco Bruchialis muscle, an assistant to the deltuides. L. Supinator Brevis muscle, turns the palm of the hand and fore arm foi ward. M. Supinator Inngus, operates in unison with the brevis. N. Extensor Radialis Longior, extends the fore arm. O. Many flexor muscles of the fingers, all arising from one point. P. j Flexor digitorum profundis, bends the joint of the fingers. R. Annular ligament of the wrist, bending the tendons in a groove. S. Short muscles, forming the hall of the thumb. T. Flexor and abductor muscles of the little finger. N e r v e s . 1. 1. Radial nerve. 2. 2. Ulnar do. 3. External cutaneous nerve. 4. Muscular spiral nerve; supplies the flesh on the back side of the arm and skin. 5. A communicating twig. 6. Articular nerve, round the joint. 7. Internal cutaneous, supplies the skin under side of the arm. 8. External cutaneous, again; passing through a muscle, and then becoming a cutaneous nerve. 9. Bl anch of the external, going to the back of the thumb. 10. Muscular spiral nerve. 11. A branch of the external cutaneous. 12. The radial nerve. } , o m i > duierent views. 13. I he ulnar nerve, j 14. A branch of the ulnar, to the back of the hand. 15. Distribution of the radial nerve to the thumb, fore finger, middle and one side of the ring finger. 16. Distribution of the ulnar nerve to the other side of the ring, and both sides of the little finger. N. B. We have exhibited in this plate a mass of muscles and nerves, that the reader may have some idea of the complex machinery ne- cessary to the perfection of only one single limb. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 163 wherever there is a twig in one body, leading to an organ, precisely such another, fulfilling exactly the same office, may be demonstrated in another : a curious illustration of this remark is strikingly manifested in the nerves of the human hand. The arteries are not invariably constant, or undeviating travellers of a particular muscle. With the nerves, the case is altered : — they are constant, as it respects the origin, course and ultimate distribution — go where they may, a precise number of branches are required, to be dis- tributed to every portion and piece in which a blood ves- sel enters. Usually, the deep seated nerves accompany the arteries ; and the nerves of the skin keep in the track of the superficial veins. Though the nerves are small, and uninfluenced by voli- tion, exact order is preserved, or the same effects could not be produced in two individuals, from the same causes. Without nerves, there could be no sensation : — with- out them, neither painful or pleasurable emotions would be recognised ; without them, organized beings would be completely motionless, without locomotion, and with- out perception or consciousness. It matters not how perfectly the muscles are developed, or advantageously arranged, if there were no mode of sub- jecting them to the influence of the brain, — they would be of no kind of consequence. Were the nerves in the wrist divided, the ability to clench the fingers would be lost ; nor can it be recovered, unless a re-union of the divided portions can be effected. These are the voluntary nerves. Those denominated involuntary , administering to the involuntary muscles, are equally important to the hidden regions in which they are found. W r hen the breathing nerve of the diaphragm is separated, the midrif no longer renders assistance in respiration. The muscles of the 164 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. chest are compelled to carry on the process of breathing entirely alone. By dividing minute twigs, as they creep into the vocal box of a dog, the muscles are paralyzed, and the animal can never afterwards bark. Digestion in the stomach may be interrupted by cutting the main trunks of the nerves. Even the functions of the liver and kidneys might be checked in the same way, were it possible to reach the nerves going to them, with- out violence. Notwithstanding the heart is kept in continual nuiotio by the presence of the blood, if its nerves were separa- ted, so that the communication were interrupted with the brain and spinal marrow, it would cease to pulsate, though its irritability, an original endowment of the muscle, might remain a considerable time. And still further, a wound or compression of the spinal marrow completely paralyzes the whole body, — which, if not speedily re- lieved, ends in death. For the sake of method, anatomists have made a regu- lar classification of the nerves: — From the brain, there are nine pair — a majority of which are the nerves of sense; — in other words, they are expended on the organs of sense, as the ear, eye, nose, and tongue. Issuing from between the bones of the neck, there are eight pair, — from between the joints of the spine, twelve ; — from the loins, five pair more ; — and the sacrum or last bone of the vertebral column, five more, — making a total of thirty-nine sets of nerves, from the brain and spinal cord. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 165 Fig. 67. 166 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Explanations of Fig. 67. A A. Cerebrum, or brain. B B. Cerebellum , or little brain. C C. Crurd Cerebri, or union of the fibres of the brain. D D. Crura Cerebelli, union of the two sides of the little brain. E E E. Spinal marrow. 1 1. Branches of the 5th of nerves, so often noticed in this work. 2 2. Branches of the sub-occipital nerves. 3 3. Branches of (he four inferior cervical nerves, and the first dorsal, forming the axillary plexus, from whence all the nerves of the arm and fingers have their origin. 4 4 4 4. Branches of the dorsal nerves. 5 5. Lumbar nerves. 6 6. Sacral nerves. THIRTY PAIR OF SPINAL NERVES. These are first divided into Eight pair of Cervical, coming out between the bones of t he neck, on either side, from the spinal marrow, — to be distributed to the muscles. Twelve, pair of Dorsal, — in like manner, coming out between the dorsal vertebrae of the back. Five pair of Lumbar, — from between the lumbar or joints of the loins. Five pair of Sacral, — being a branch or termination of the spinal marrow in the os sacrum. Several cords, coming through the several openings, unite to form the great sciatic nerve of the leg. Another circumstance should not be lost sight of in this general survey of these organs — viz., the well estab- lished fact, that two threads may arise from the same root, and yet they sustain widely different offices in the econo- my : one may contribute to the contraction of a muscle, while the other carries the mandate for its relaxation. We are warranted in believing, that even in a minute nerve, which appears a single cord, that a number of dis- tinct parallel filaments are lying side by side, enveloped in the same tissue, whose functions are widely different from each other. Of the nine pair of nerves from the brain, let us pursue ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 167 them to their ultimate destination, not, however, with the vain expectation of ascertaining how it is that they exert an influence, but simply to contemplate the broad chart of sympathies which is thus spread for distributing and con- trolling that vitality which is so essential to order, to con- sciousness and to physical perfectibility. First — the olfactory nerves, taking their rise in the brain, having gone but little way within the skull, arrive at the top of the nose, where they suddenly divide into in- numerable hair drawn threads, which are lost in the lining membrane of the nose. The second, are the optic — expanding, when they have penetrated the globe of the eye, through the back side, into a thin web — properly named the retina, which is the seat of vision. In this instance, arising from the same substance as the olfactory to all human appearance, is a nerve which can only be influenced by the presence of light. When the nervous system is agitated by disease, even in the darkest apartment, the participation which the optic nerve has with the diseased action of the whole, pro- duces the sensation of vision, and nothing else. If it can- not be the bearer of this one item of intelligence, it can do nothing at all. If anot her sensation is to be conducted to the mind, — even if it relates to a moat on the face of the eye, another set of nerves, entirely independent of the optic, must be the bearers. There is no property in com- mon ; no relationship allowing the one to perform the func- tions of the other ; yet they both seem to possess the same general structure, the same component parts, and have an origin from the same fountain-head, and depend for their vitality upon the same circulation. The third nerve is generally distributed to the muscles of the eye, to give guidance to several of them. Further — the fourth nerve, arising from the brain, 168 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. long, slender, and hair-like, is dispensed altogether upon one muscle, the one which rolls the eye downward towards the shoulder. The fifth nerve is the most intricate to understand. Lying almost in contact with the great artery of the brain, in the base of the skull, the single cord spreads itself out into the form of a reddish, fleshy pad, from which three distinct cords, all distinguished for their size have an origin. One of the three darts towards the eye, where it commingles with those we have been describing. The second branch, creeps through an orifice, and having reached the back part of the upper jaw, sends on a lash of fine lines, which find an entrance into the substance of the bones, and there furnishes the root of each tooth with one of them. Fig. 68. Explanations of Fig. 6S. This plato will give some general idea of the intricacy of the nerves about the face ; the most difficult part of the neurology of the head is concealed by the bones, though we have adverted to the in- dividual nerves, which have their origin in the brain. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 169 2. The optic nerve, nerve of vision, second in the order. 3. Motor oculi, or third pair, arising from the brain. 4. Trochlearis, fourth pair. 5. Trigemini, with its three great branches, spoken of in the text. A. First division of the 5th nerve, called the opthalmic branch, which divides again into — 13. C The Frontal nerve. C. < The Lachrymal nerve. D. (Thd Nasal nerve. E. Second division of the fifth nerve. F. That branch of it going to the teeth and skin of the upper jaw. G. A ganglion. II. Branches going to the palate and throat. I. Videan nerve. 6. Sixth nerve of the brain. K. Origin of the Great Sympathetic Nerve, spoken of in the text. L. Its additional organ, from the Videan nerve. M. Superior or first ganglion of the Sympathetic nerve. N. Th ird division of the fifth nerve. O. First division of the third branch of the fifth nerve, going to the tongue ; this nerve is the organ of taste. P. A branch of the Gustatory , or tasting nerve, going to the ear and crossing the drum. Q. That division of the fifth nerve, which supplies the teeth of the under jaw, and finally comes out on the chin, to supply the muscles of expression. 7. Seventh pair of nerves from the brain, or. auditory, being the nerve of hearing. Perhaps, with all our care, the reader will scarcely understand the scheme which has here been presented. It is not our object to be so minute as to weary, and yet we desire to be sufficiently par- ticular to be useful. The third branch makes its way out of the head, and directs its course to the inner side of the angle of the under jaw, where it enters a smooth canal, and in like manner furnishes each of the fangs of the under teeth with a mi- nute nerve. A recollection of the origin of the dental nerves, will explain the reason why a sound tooth, in the opposite jaw, sympathizes with the pain of a diseased one. To the eye again the sixth nerve goes. Such a liberal supply of nervous influence as is thus given to this one organ, argues very clearly its importance. In no other portion of the machine is there a parallel distribution of nerves. 15 170 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. The seventh is a double nerve : — two cords, quite in contact, the one hard and tile other soft, strike the extremity of that portion of the temporal bone, within the skull, con- taining the beautiful apparatus of the ear. One of them is expended upon the inside, and is the acoustic nerve : the other pays no regard to the ear, but, working through the solid bones, shows itself on the cheek, very near the middle of the external ear. What circumstance of organization prepares these nerves, arising, if not at the same point, at least from the same mass, for performing such opposite functions, as hearing and feeling, must long remain an inexplicable paradox. Still further in the series, comes the eighth pair, or par vagutn — sliding out at the base of the skull, in company with the internal jugular vein. Coursing down the side of the neck, it dips into the chest, running through its whole extent, and finally shows itself in the cavity of the abdomen. From its first exit from the brain, it drops off twig after twig, nearly at right angles, for the superficial muscles on the throat, and the vocal tube ; to the larynx; to the wind-pipe; the lobes of the lungs on either side; to the heart ; the great blood-vessel of the body ; to the stomach, liver, spleen, kidneys; and to all appear- ance, neglects no viscera in any of the great cavities. No other nerve, but the sympathetic, seems to have such exten- sive relations, nor is any one of more consequence to or- ganic life. Reflect, for a moment, on the extraordinary offices of this one nerve. Both vessels and muscles on its first appear- ance, mutually depend upon its influence. Next, a class of involuntary muscles within the vocal box, cannot be varied in their contractions without its presence. Even the vibration of the vocal cords, the instruments of voice, would be unserviceable without it : the lungs would faul- ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 171 ter — the stomach become idle — the liver rebel — the intestinal mechanism stop — and a universal failure of all the vital apparatus would inevitably ensue. One more — the ninth — the lingual nerve , closes the series from the brain. Without it there would be no ability for moving the tongue. Let us re-examine the scheme of the nerves arising from the spinal marrow. That prolongation of the brain, which lies in the canal of the spine, gives out two sets of nerves, as from the two sides of the brain, but vastly larger in size. Besides be- ing large, several of them unite together, so closely, that it is really difficult to separate them, for the purpose, it is supposed, of establishing a wide circle of sympathies, and a combination of influence upon the muscles. Notwith- standing the apparent confusion, the most exact order is maintained. No man has been competent to an explanation of this complex mechanism. Though emanating from a condens- ed part of the brain, in which the intellectual operations are not admitted to be in force, a class of nerves have an origin, which are under the most complete subjection to another portion of the same substance. So it is in re- spect to all the dorsal, lumbar and sacral nerves. 172 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Explanations of Fig. 69. This plan shows the distribution of some ol the nerves of the arm. a a. Tire cephalic vein, running between the pectoralis rpajor and deltoid muscle. 6. The basilic vein. c. The vena rnediana longa, sending off. d. The median basilic vein. e. The median cephalic vein. /. The internal cutaneous nerve. g. The external muscular cutaneous nerve. h. A lymphatic gland. i. The fasica covering the muscles of the upper arm. k. The pectoralis major. l. The deltoid muscle. These considerations are curious in themselves, and in the mechanic, the scholar, and the philosopher, excite an ardent desire fo comprehend the reason for the one, and the cause of the other. All the boasted and lofty preten- sions of philosophy are inadequate to the solution of these problems in the laws of the animal economy. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 173 GREAT SYMPATHETIC NERVE. As a point of union between the nerves of the brain and those of the spinal marrow, — to maintain a sympathy of connexion between the voluntary and involuntary or- gans, is interposed the sympathetic nerve, which traverses the whole extent of the chest and abdomen, sending fibres in all directions, to every viscus in the body. Thus, by this one nerve, a mutual dependence is preserved among all the various portions of the living system. Nerves are certainly the organs of our senses. How, by the application of bodies to the different parts, a sensa- tion is produced, will never, we fear, be clearly explained, nor can we account, for a corresponding change in the brain, to produce an idea. Neither is it known how sen- sation is conveyed by the nerves to the brain. Sensation is a property peculiar to the nervous fibre, as irritability is to the muscle. 15 * 174 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Q U E STIONS. Is the brain a solid mass, within the skull ? How is it divided ? What are the hemispheres of the brain ? What do you understand by the lobes of the brain ? How many coats, or coverings has the brain ? Where is the little brain or cerebellum found ? Where is the spinal marrow ? What is the use of the spinal marrow ? Where do the nerves of sense arise ? How many nerves arise from the brain P How are the nerves protected ? How many nerves arise from the spinal marrow ? How are they classified P How are external sensations conveyed to the brain ? Where is the optic nerve found? Where are the olfactory nerves ? Are there cavities in the substance of the brain ? What are the cavities called ? What is the supposed use of those cavities ? What is the consequence of dividing a nerve ? Which is the seat of intellect, the large or small brain? Can the brain be wounded with impunity ? How does the sympathetic dilfer from other nerves ? What is neurology ? Is there a correspondence in the structure of the brain and nerve ? ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 175 THE SENSES. The senses are divided into internal and external. The internal are ideas, which the mind forms — and may be produced by the agency of the external senses, or other- wise excited, as memory, imagination, conscience, and the passions. EXTERNAL SENSES. Hearing, Seeing, Feeling, Smelling, and Tasting. THE EAR. The ear, that organ by which we are made sensible of the impression of sound, is a very complicated instrument, and a beautiful piece of mechanism. It is a curious circumstance in the economy of organized beings, that the central portion of the human ear, termed the saculus vest ib n li, hereafter to be described, is the basis of the apparatus of hearing in all animals, with the excep- tion of insects, but becoming more and more complex as inferior grades approximate the physical perfectability of man. Sound being a vibratory motion of the air, first put in motion by a solid body, is collected by the ear, as the pul- 176 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. sations travel onward, and transmitted directly to the au- ditory nerve.* Those beings only, which are denominated locomotive, having the power of moving themselves from one place to another, have an ear. Without this sense, of such vast importance to man, inferior tribes would be constantly ex- posed to dangers and even destruction. Nature has not been neglectful in granting the necessary means of hap- piness to every being, in proportion to its wants in the sphere in which it is destined to live; nor partial to man, in the development of all his senses, to the exclusion of other animals, whose physical propensities, necessities and circumstances are of as much importance to them, in the scale of existence, as his own. EXTERNAL EAR.* That appendage termed auricula, 'pinna or external ear, divested of the skin, is a thin, delicate piece of cartilage, quite elastic, and bearing some resemblance, in this re- spect, to parchment. On its outer surface, it is concave, but thrown into deep semicircular grooves, which termi- nate in one large dish, surrounding the canal that enters the bones, called concha, because it resembles a shell. The lines or eminences, lying between the furrows, have definite names, as helix, antihelix, tragus and antitragus, and lastly, the fat pendulous portion, on the under edge of the ear, — in which trinkets are worn, in civilized society, in humble imitation of genuine savage life, — the lubus. * The antenna; of insects are considered the only organs that con- vey a sensation analogous to hearing. By the vibrations communi- cated to the body, through these, they are probably made suscepti- ble of simple sonorous impressions. So called from aura , ah. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK 177 Fig. 70. Explanations of Fig. 70. This is a well marked ear of a man, drawn from life, o to e — The helix, forming the rim. a - — The upper end or com- mencement of the rim, slop- ing into the concha. b — Part of the edge lost in the face. c, d — Prominent from the head. e — The fold terminating in the lobule of the ear. f to m — The antihelix. f,g — The upper end divid- ed into two ridges, — h the union of them, — f and g. i, k - — lower end of the anti- helix, continued at i into the concha, and at k into the antitragus. I — The tragus covering the entrance to the ear — like a post at the corner of a street, to prevent sudden injury. m intitragus. n — Lobe of the ear, usually bored. o, o — Furrow between the helix and antihelix. p — The boat like depression between the lines of the antihelix. x — The concha. r — The beginning of the meatus auditorious, or canal. MUSCLES. Although in the human species there are muscles which seem at first sight to have been designed for moving the ear in different directions, their office is expressly to keep it tense, — equally on the stretch at all points, to increase its vibratory property. Occasionally, individuals are seen who have such development of the muscles, as to be able to move their ears at pleasure. Wags and buffoons are sometimes expert in the exercise. There are three of these muscles. 178 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Fig. 71. In this plate is represented the muscles peculiar to the external ear. a, d, e, the cartilage of the ear, as seen on that side looking towards the head. The attolens aurem, or lifter up of the ear, marked l, in, shows where it becomes tendinous on the bones of the head, o, p, attach- ed to prominences g to t the anterior auris, placed between the face and ear. q, r. the portion of it connected to the muscle of the forehead, growing narrower at s, and inserted into (he helix at t. u, z Two muscles, or rather, two portions of one, retrahentes au- rum, to draw the ear hack from the face. u, v, w,x, The upper or larger portion, consisting of fleshy fibres, u, v , w. y, z, The inferior portion of the same muscle. All such animals as keep their ears habitually erect, as the fox, lynx, cat, horse, ox, ass, and various species of the dog, maintain them in that position by the strength of the muscles, which are under the control of the will. It is necessary for safety on the one hand, or success in seizing prey, by surprise, on the other, for the animal to have a distinct auricular perception, accompanied by a nice sense of smell. By remaining perfectly quiet, the ears are directed to and fro, as circumstances may require, ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 179 to receive, most favorably and forcibly the sonorous rays, — without being obliged to move the head.* Elephants, hounds, besides an almost endless catalogue of mammalia, have pendulous ears, as though the design was to defend the orifice ; — in these examples, the muscles are small, as they are in man. Birds have but a slight rim, approaching in outline, the pinna : lizards, of which there are about forty varieties, serpents and other reptiles, have nothing externally re- sembling an ear : in some, it is difficult, on close examin- ation, to discover the precise spot where the ear is located. Fishes are also destitute of an external organ ; and yet all these families, including the amphibious, as frogs, turtles and the like, have a beautifully constructed internal ear, as remarkable, so far as a mechanical arrangement of parts is concerned, in conveying the pulsation of sound, as that of the most favored musician. EAR TUBE.f When the temporal or side bone of the head, contain- ing, entirely, the internal ear, is carefully sawed in twain, the canal, of which we are speaking, will be found about three quarters of an inch in length, and somewhat con- tracted towards its inner extremity — and, on an average, a little less than a quarter of an inch in diameter. This passage is a gentle curve, as the tube, from the external opening, rises upward ; but at half its length, turns down- ward again, and there bulges out in shape, something like * It is a favorite opinion of the author, that an ear trumpet for deaf people, instead of being like the funnel of a common bugle, should have a broad plate, grooved, and indeed, wrought in exact imitation of the external human ear, it being certain that this is the best mode of directing sound into the head, or nature would have constructed it differently, t In books, termed the Meatus uuditorius externus , — simply meaning the external passage to the inner cavities. 180 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. the bowl of a spoon. A delicate rim, like a moulding-, rises on the edge of this expanded mouth, for sustaining the drum head, soon to be noticed, very much like the method of nailing a hoop within the mouth of a barrel, near the chime, to keep the head from falling in. To af- ford greater surface, that the drum head may be consider- ably larger than the extremity of the tube would allow, were it stretched perpendicularly across, it is sloped, so that it requires an oval cover, under such circumstances, very much larger than if it were round, and fitted to the square end of the pipe. AH this may be examined in the temporal bone of a horse, sheep or dog’s skull, as they are found bleaching in the fields. In these animals the re- semblance to the human ear is particularly striking. The common skin of the face is carried within the tube, for its lining, but perforated in numerous places, by the ducts of delicate little bags, lying between the bone and skin, which are constantly secreting and pouring out a bitter, nause- ous wax. The object of this excretion is twofold, viz. first, to keep the lining moist and pliable," and secondly, to kill insects that may intrude there.* Crossing this canal from the sides, are strong short hairs, intersecting each other in such a manner, that an insect must overcome the resistance of those pikes, or chevaux de frise, in case the wax t does not arrest its progress, before reaching the *Ear wax is certain death to insects that feed upon it; though its composition is such, that they cannot restrain their appetites when pent up where it is. Naturalists have taken a hint from this, to prevent ihe depredations of vermin on dried preparations in cabinets, by washing them in decoctions of aloes orolher vegetable bitters. t At birth the tube is filled with a thick mucus, which, in some children, unless speedily removed, forms a cake of hard wax, com- pletely closing it; and by the time the arliculative organs are devel- oped, the child is actually, deaf and dumb. There seems to boa peculiar predisposition to this in some families. In others, children after having once talked, lose their hearing at four or five years o t age, and become permanently deaf and dumb. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 181 drum head, where its peregrinations are impassably lim- ited.* Fig. 72. Explanation of Fig. 72. This has been an exceedingly difficult plan to execute, so as to give the exact relation of parts ; hence it is very much foreshort- ened. c tod, — cc, the meatus extcr- nus, as it appears, taken from the bone ; b, c, its two cur- vatures ; — the first e; the second c : — dd, the oblique slant, like a spoon bowl, at the in- ner end, covered by the drum head, spoken of in the text. e — The membrana tympani, stretched on its bony hoop, bulg- ing inward. The remaining parts, beyond the boundary of the membrane, remain to be described, although represented here for the sake of keeping up the connexion of parts in the mind. f,g,h, — The malleus; f its handle; gits long handle; h the head or bulb. i, k, — inchus, or anvil ; i short, and k, long processes, m stapes. V,H,A ,m,n,p, — The labyrinth ; n, p, the cochlea, n, the be- ginning, p, termination, in, the vestibulum.f * When the glands are diseased in consequence of a chronic in- flammation, a thin, purulent discharge takes place, giving the indi- vidual, in some instances, trouble, inconvenience, and pain through life. I have seen a skull, in which the entire tube, on one side was closed up by a deposition of bone. The opposite ear was partially diseased in the same manner, but the peculiar circumstances of the case, while the person was alive, could not be ascertained. t I have found considerable difficulty in demonstrating this organ, without very large models : — one now in my cabinet, made of wood, magnifies the internal ear three feet, which can be seen and under- stood at a distance in a large hall. Formerly, when I taught anato- my in a Medical Institution, it was customary to suppose the col- lege an ear, and thus illustrate its intricacies by constant reference to the apartments and passage ways of that edifice. Instructors will derive great advantage from a similar course — by considering the school house, when explaining the organ to their pupils, — the in- ternal ear, and the front door the drum. 16 182 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. THE DRUM, OR MEMBRANA TYMPANI.* From the foregoing description of the canal, the exact locality of the drum head will be understood. Fitted to the rim of bone, in a manner similar to the parchment over the barrel of a snare drum, — it is kept perfectly tense, but by an arrangement of the fibres peculiar to its organ- ization. It is oval, and somewhat concave outwardly, and so transparent, that objects can be seen through it, being of the color of white oiled paper; any person of common ingenuity, can dissect this beautiful membrane in the head of a dead fowl, with the point of a knife. It then presents a striking resemblance to a battledoor. This closes up the extremity of the tube, in a healthy ear ; notwithstand- ing, it is frequently ruptured by the firing of heavy guns, inflammation, and other accidents, without producing deaf- ness. Across this drum, a fine thread of a nerve is drawn, called corda tympani, which gives it the requisite sensi- bility and connexion with the system. When a pin-head is introduced far enough to touch the drum head, an ex- quisitely acute pain is the consequence, from pressing this nerve. We have seen men with the membranes ruptured on both sides, which was inferred from the fact, that in smok- ing, they puffed the fumes, for amusement, out at their ears; — yet the sense of hearing, did not appear impaired. The rationale of this will be subsequently explained. The deafness of old people might in some instances be allevi- ated by puncturing the membrane, which, by age, has become thickened and inelastic. * Lobsters, crabs, and, in fact, all that remarkable class of animals, whose skeletons are outside of the body, in the form of a shell, have their ears placed at the extremities of projecting points. The lob- ster’s can be detected at the end of a short stump, near the root of the long feelers ; — it consists of a perforated bony stump, having a membrane stretched over it, — covering a drop of fluid, in which floats the auditory nerve. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 1S3 No one can be in doubt as respects the office of this membrane : it receives the sonorous rays — having a broad surface, and being on the stretch, is put in vibratory mo- tion by the slightest pulsations in the air, — which it transmits to the still more important apparatus within. We have remarked that reptiles and fishes have no dis- cernible external orifice : — the external surface appears smooth, as though they were destitute of this sense. Un- der the skin, however, and in the bone answering to the temporal one in man, there is a round hole, — growing larger within. This cavity is the tympanum or drum bar- rel — answering to the apartment beyond the drum head, in men and quadrupeds. The common skin which is thus drawn over the mouth of the tympanum, acts precisely as the drum head does, — vibrating to the least noise, with exceeding nicety. In the economy of reptiles — those scavengers of the earth, created to wallow in filth — at the threshold of organic life, an external opening would be soon destroyed, by being filled with mud, gravel or insects. The skin over the frog’s ear and the camelion is very dense, shining and tremulous. Frogs, particularly, have a splendid circular piece of skin over the tympanum, just back of their large prominent eyes. There is a necessi- ty for uncommon delicacy, in their case, as their ear is constructed for hearing with equal precision in water as well as air.* * In that class of serpents which are covered with scales, the ex- ternal contrivance of a tense skin over the internal ear, is far infe- rior to the frog or lizard’s : — to the underside of a cluster of thin scales, wedged in the loose skin, a slender bone, in figure like the pestle of a mortar, runs into the tube, towards the brain, and plays into the fenestra ovalis. All the variety of serpents are distinguished for their delicacy in the perception of sound. The boa family, particularly, are those which exhibit the most satisfaction in music. The writer has carefully examined a boa constrictor , which when fully grown, is horrible to the sight, that was inattentive to sounds, except when hungry. At such times, the scratch of a pin against the wall, 184 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. INTERNAL EAR. All parts beyond the drum-head, are collectively called the labyrinth, in consequence, probably, of their intri- cacy. To understand the arrangement of the apartments to which the reader is now to be introduced, requires pa- tience, as well as close observation, or the mechanism cannot be comprehended. First the DRUM-BARREL, OR TYMPANUM. Directly behind the membrane is a small room, of the ca- pacity of a common white bean. Its name is derived from a word, meaning a drum, as it is one in office, but having, instead of one head like the kettle or two as in the snare drum, it has three heads; — the largest of which is towards the outer ear, — while at the other end of the barrel, are two little ones. Three distinct apartments, one beyond the other, which in anatomical works, have further minute subdivisions, collectively make up the labyrinth. First, the tympanum, just adverted to ; secondly, the vestibule ; and thirdly, the cochlea. In connexion with these are certain tubes, hav- ing sundry barbarous, unintelligible names. Behind the ear, a hard knob of bone may be felt, with the finger, (mastoid process) on which that muscle is fast- ened, which, with its fellow on the opposite side, brings the head forward ; within, it is hollow — being full of con- roused the monster to unceasing watchfulness. The ear of the land tortoise, and the rattlesnake, do not differ as much as the physiolo- gist might at first suppose — though in the water turtle, constituted for hearing alternately in air and water, there is a perceptible differ- ence. In the first a single bone is found; while in the latter, in addition to the bone, there are fine chalky particles, which move against each other, to propagate the motion or noise in the water, to the ramifications of the nerve. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 185 ical cells resembling the spokes of a wheel, growing small- er as they unite in one pipe, which opens into the drum barrel. Physiologists agree that the use of these cells is for reverberating sound, that it may gain strength by being reflected from wall to wall, in order to excite a stronger sensation when conveyed to the nerve : these are partic- ularly large in some animals.* A similar piece of me- chanism is discoverable in the cheek bones, and even the centre bone of the skull, for reverberating and strengthen- ing the voice. Lions have large cavities in the bones of their heads and faces, on purpose to increase the intensity of the vibrations ; — hence their characteristic roar. In another direction, is the minute orifice of a cone- shaped pipe, eustachian iube, that opens with a trumpet- like extremity in the mouth, — it being necessary to the free vibration of the drum head, that the same quality of air that transmits the sonorous pulsations, should also exist on the opposite side, within the barrel : the use of the eustachian tube, (so called from Eustachias, the discover- er) is to admit it. Nothing, therefore, is more completely an imitation of the tympanum of the ear, than the martial drum, which has a little hole in the side, equivalent to this we are describing, descending to the mouth, the nearest point from which atmospheric air could be taken, without disarranging or disturbing the functions of other organs. By closing the sounding hole of the drum, the music is less audible — sounding, when the air inside becomes rare- fied, like music in a well. The reason is, the equal bal- ance of air is destroyed : — such is the object and office * In a letter from the venerable Dr James Thatcher, of Ply- mouth, the following curious fact is related: ‘ Reflection of Sound. — A gentleman told me, to-day, (May 3d, 1331,) that a few days since, he was passing through one of our streets where there were considerable intervals between the houses, a gentleman totally blind, walking with him, assured him that he knew exactly when he was passing a building, by a peculiar sensa- tion in his ears, occasioned by a different concussion of the air.’ 16 * 186 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. of the eustachian tube. Sometimes, in violent sneezing, or sudden cough, the patulous mouths get stopped for an instant with saliva ; and many readers are probably famil- iar with the sensation of fulness that ensues, — giddiness and ringing in the ears, to the annihilation of accurate auricular perceptions, till the cause is removed.* There are many existing cases of deafness, having their origin in some such cause : the pipe finally inflames, and becomes permanently sealed : a skilful aurist, under such circumstances, will adroitly puncture the drum head, with an instrument purposly constructed, and relieve the patient without pain. OVAL WINDOW, on FENESTRA OVALIS. Fenestra ovalis means an oval window, covered by one of the two little drum heads. Beyond this, supposing a person could pass through, he would arrive in the vestibule, or second room. Lower down, but a few lines from this, is the second little parchment head, called ROUND WINDOW, OR FENESTRA ROTUNDA. This is a round window ; were it possible to tear it away and creep through the frame, the traveller would enter into one of the canals of the cochlea. * Notwithstanding the fine arguments of writers to the contrary, I believe that partially deaf persons hear better when the mouth is open ; instinctively, it may be observed, such individuals listen with an open mouth. The pulsations of sound thus enter the tympanum and set the fenestra ovalis vibrating, — but very much less forcibly than through the external opening, in its healthful condition. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 187 Fig 73. Explanation of Fig. 73. In this diagram, the labyrinth and little bones of the ear, are mag- nified exceedingly. This is to show the manner in which they are connected, and the order in which they are placed. a to e — Th & malleus, about to be described ; a, a long process ; b, a shorter one ; c, the handle, attached to the drum head ; d, the neck ; and e the head of the malleus, like a mallet. f to i — The inchus ;f its body : g its short leg ; i the point united to the stapes. kton — The stapes; It its small head, i the anterior leg, n the basis connected with the membrane which closes the fenestra ovalis. o to m — The labyrinth ; o, r, the first turn ot the cochlea ; s, t, u, v, the second ; w, x, the half or third turn ; y the foramen rotun- dum or round window ; zz, the vestibulum ; ABCD, superior semicircular canals; A, the ampulla-, B C, its curvature; D, its union with the inferior or posterior canal ; E F G H, inferior canal; E, its ampulla ; F G H, its curious curve and its junction with the first; I K L M, the exterior canal; I, the ampulla; K L, the direc- tion ol its curve ; M, its termination in the vestibule. 188 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Fig. 74. Explanation of Fig. 74. In this, the bony case of the labyrinth, has had one half cut away to exhibit the interior. a to l — The upper part of the cochlea; aa, the thickness of its external shell in a foetus of eight months ; b c d, the lamina spiralis ; be, scala vestibuli; e f gh i, the scala tympani. Here is seen the bony lamina spiralis ; Sits origin; d its termination in a little hook, termed hamulus; k the opening of the infundibulum, where the scaloe communicate ; l the opening of the aqueduct, or drain of the fluids from the cochlea. m to g — The under half of the vestibulum; m the thickness of its case in the foetus ; n the fovea or round pit ; o an oval pit ; p a ridge between them ; q opening of the aquaeductus vestibuli. r, g, k,l, — The canals divided; r the thickness of their case in the infant ; g the posterior ; l exterior semicircular canal; 1 opening of the big end of the posterior canal ; 2 opening of the large end of the superior ; 3 the opening common (o their united tubes ; 4 the larger end ; 5 the contracted opening of the external canal. LITTLE BONES OF THE EAR, OR OSSICULA AUDITUS. Perhaps there is no insulated portion of an animal, that more clearly and satisfactorily evinces superhuman design, ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 189 than the figure and articulation of the four ear bones, which we shall now endeavor to describe. The technical phrase ossicula auditus , in the Latin, implies little bones of the ear. They are by far the smallest in the body. The first, in the order of their distribution, is the malleus or mallet, — having a faint resemblance to that instrument, inasmuch as there is a long handle joined to a round knob. Secondly, the inchus, from its resemblance to an anvil : — os orbiculare or round bone, the least in size that has ever been discovered, — being in man considerably smaller than a mustard seed. And lastly, the stapes — or stirrup, almost a miniature fac simile of a saddle stirrup. Birds have but two of these, of which the malleus is most devel- oped. Turtles have but one, the malleus ; and reptiles, as far as personal dissection warrants, have but two. In these classes, there is a departure in form, from those we are contemplating in our own species. having shorter arms, is in the same position as in Figure 73 ; the let- ters have the same reference. The star points out the articulating surface for the malleus. Any person from the foregoing remarks, will recognise the stapes, by its shape — ab its head; c the neck; d anterior crus; e the second; /the basis. The fourth drawing represents another view of the stapes, seen from above — a its cartilage ; b anterior ; c posterior ; d the basis. Fig. 75. IT) Here is presented a magnified view of the ear bones. The os 'or- biculare, or round bone, is not represented, be- ing considered by some as/nly an appendage of the malleus. The malleus known by its long arms ; a, b, c, d, e, mark the same points as in Figure 73. The inchus, resem- bling a molar tooth, Explanation of Fig. 75. 190 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK, As these bones are placed in the drum barrel, one joined to the extremity of the other, they make a compound lever, — the object of which is, to have the freest and long- est extent of motion, in a little space; — unlike the muster drum, which is continually referred to on account of fa- miliar illustration, the sticks of this are fixed on the inside, and though no hands are there to beat them on the head, they are connected to little cords, which jerk them down with a sort of conscious independence, whenever there is the least noise abroad, to give the brain intelligence, as it were, of what is going on without.* Fig. 76. Explanation of Fig. 76. In this drawing; the little hones are represented of their natural size, with the exception of the last one, — which is magnified. . Insertion of the superior oblique muscle in the eye-ball. p. The inferior oblique muscle, taking its rise from a bone. q. The insertion of the tendon of the inferior oblique muscle in the first coat of the ball. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 209 COATS OF THE EYE. Such is the mechanical arrangement of the different coats or coverings of the eye, answering in use, to the brass tubes of a spy-glass, that one is fitted within the other, like a nest of boxes : they are three in number. Fig. 81. Explanation of Figure 81. This is a plan of the coats, or as they are sometimes termed, tunics. Reference should be made to this after reading the text. The natural figure of the eye, in outline, is pre- served. a. The Sclerotic, or first, hard tunic . ? q b. The Choroid, or fleecy tunic, c. The Retina, or third and in- most tunic, which is an expansion of the optic nerve g — the certain seat of vision. d. The Cornea, or prominent, transparent circle, over which the lids close, in winking. e. The Crystaline lens, or little magnifying glass of the eye, about a quarter of an inch in diameter. f. Is the space filled by one of the fluids of the eye, and called the anterior chamber. g. The stump of the optic nerve, which is prolonged into the substance of the brain. 1st. The first is the Sclerotic* coat, thick, firm, and possessing but little sensibility. Its hardness gives secu- rity to the delicate membranes beyond ; affords attach- ment for the muscles ; and by its elasticity, equally distends the ball, that none of the humors may suffer from pres- sure. Happily the hard coat is very rarely diseased. Fishes have a sclerotic coat strictly hard, being either cartilaginous or firm bone, graduated in this respect ac- cording to the depth to which they descend in search of food. Through this coat, in what is called the white * Sclerotic, from a Greek word meaning hard. 18 * 210 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. of the eye, the occulist plunges a needle to cure some kinds of blindness. 2d. Choroid* is the name of the second coat, having a dark red color, and apparently slightly connected with the first. By carefully cutting oft’ the sclerotic from a bullock’s eye, with scissors, the choroid will be beautifully exhibited, sustaining the humors. Minute dissection, under a microscope, shows that this tunic is a complete web of arteries and veins; — hence its reddish hue. Be- tween this and the sclerotic, fine silvery threads are seen, which hold a control over the Iris, yet to be described, — determining by their influence how much- or how little light may safely be admitted into the eye. The inside of this membrane resembles closely woven wailed cloth, hav- ing a fleecy nap, similar to velvet, called Tapetum! This tapetum is particularly interesting in a philosophical point of view, as on its shade of color, in a great measure, as will be more fully explained in the sequel, depends the power of seeing in the dark. 3d. Retina, \ so called from its resemblance to a net, completes the number, being the innermost and last. Its color is that of gum arabic, or ground glass : nothing can be more delicate, being too tender to bear its own weight. In fact, it is the expansion of the optic nerve, the imme- diate seat of vision. To see it well, an eye should be taken to pieces in a tumbler of water, * Choroides, — like a lamb-skin, fleecy. ) Tapetum — resembling cloth, called tapestry, tfietina, — a net. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK 211 Fig. 82. Explanation of Figure 82. from dissection of a human eye, the organ being represented of the pro- per size. a. The optic nerve, h b. The Sclerotic coat cut and turned outward. c. A circular portion of the Scle- rotica, being a rim of the white of the eye, cut, and turned upward, having in its embrace the cornea. d. The cornea. ee. One half the Iris, in its place, the other half being removed. f. The Pupil, soon to be descri- bed, with the crystalline lens in its place. g. The Ciliary circle, or second vertical partition, within the eye, behind the iris. h h. Choroid coat. i. The Ciliary processes, or ruffle-like plaits of the ciliary circle, yet to be explained. A small portion of the iris is cut away to show them. k. A portion of the iris cut and turned back. l. The floating points of the ciliary processes, also turned back. m. The middle smooth part of the retina, seen by cutting a hole through the choroid coat. n. The roots of the ciliary processes, to which the black paint, secreted by the tapetum or inner surface of the choroides, adheres. o. The ciliary processes inserted into the sac which contains the cry st aline lens. THE CORNEA. Anteriorly, that clear, shining wall, resembling a watch crystal, which famishes the membraneous box, is called the cornea. Simple as this thin crystal appears, it is infinitely curious in structure. It is made of thin pellu- cid plates, one over another, held together by a spongy elastic substance. By maceration in water a few hours, the sponge will absorb it to such a degree, that the plates may be distinctly felt to slide upon each other, between the thumb and finger. Little glands, like bags of oil, only to be seen by the most powerful microscope, are lodged under the first plate, which are continually oozing out their contents 212 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. upon the surface, which gives the sparkling brilliancy to this part of the eye. As death approaches, this fluid forms a pellicle, like a dark cloud, over the lower portion of the cornea. This formation is taken to be a sure indi- cation of approaching dissolution. See fig. 81, letter d, and fig. 82, letters c and d, for representation of the cornea. mts. By looking into a person’s eye, there seems to be a ver- tical partition, either black, blue, or hazle, as the case may be, which prevents us from looking into the regions beyond, — having a round hole in its centre. This is the iris, while its central orifice is denominated the pupil. How the diameter of this hole is enlarged or diminished, has never been explained satisfactorily. One fact, how- ever, is certain, that the pupil is large or small, according to the quantity of light that may be necessary to the for- mation of a distinct picture of the object seen. — and this change is effected without our being conscious of the action. From the reflection of such rays as are not admitted through the pupil, or central hole, we account for much of the lively brilliancy of the iris. On its back side it is rather fleecy. Over this is spread a black, blue, hazle, or tea-colored paint, which gives a permanent color to the eye. It has been remarked, that the eyes and hair ordi- narily correspond in color. Whenever the iris acts, as, for instance, it does in going from a dark into a light room, the pupil is made smaller, — acting uniformly in its fibres, to keep it circular. On returning to the dark apartment, the pupil enlarges again. A knowledge of this fact, will explain the reason of a painful sensation in the eye, caus- ed by a strong and sudden light. As soon as the iris has had time to diminish the size of its pupil, we can endure ANATOMICAL. CLASS BOOK. 213 the same luminous object with perfect comfort. When we leave a well-lighted room, on first going into a dark street, everything appears lurid and indistinct. The iris soon begins to enlarge the pupil, to admit more light, and when that has been accomplished, although in compaia- tive darkness, we recognise objects without an effort. Acting independently of the will, its duties are like those of a faithful sentinel, always consulting the safety of the splendid optical instrument confided to its care, with re- ference to its subserviency to the being for whose use it was exclusively constructed. Were it otherwise, — were it left to our own care, how often it would be neglected, and indeed, totally ruined, solely for the want of undivided attention. Parrots have a voluntary control over the pupil, opening and closing it at pleasure. How this is done, or why, in the constitution of that bird, it is necessary, we cannot determine. Cats, also, appear to have a similar power of graduating the quantity of light, admitted into their eyes, as it suits their own convenience. In carnivorous quadrupeds, the pupil is commonly oval and oblique, permitting them to look from the bottom to the top of a tree without much elevation of the head. Gramnivorous quadrupeds have an oblong pupil, placed horizontally, with respect to the natural position of the body. This form gives them the faculty of surveying the expanse of a field, at once. See fig. 82, letters e e , and k. Fig. 83, letters c c. CILIARY PROCESSES. Directly behind the iris, is a second curtain, having a central hole through it, corresponding with that through the first curtain, but nearly as large as the whole diameter of the lens. All the luminous rays which are converged by the convexity of the cornea, which is, in effect, a piano 214 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. convex lease, cannot enter through the pupil ; many of them strike the plane of the iris, and are reflected back, as on a looking-glass, without penetrating its substance. If any rays were to get through, by such an irregular pro- cess, it would produce great confusion, by destroying the outline and vividness of the image previously made on the retina, through the natural opening. To prevent such mishaps, the paint on the back of the iris is to absorb such rays as are not reflected, and have a tendency therefore to pass onward. Nature, as though fearful that circumstan- ces might so alter the condition of the pigment,* as that some light, notwithstanding this precaution', might pene- trate, has interposed this second yeil, — solely it is sup- posed to stop all wandering rays. This ciliary curtain presents three thicknesses, and lastly, has a thick coat of black paint on its back. In or- der to give it treble security, as it regards thickness, it is plaited like the folds of a ruffle. There are seventy folds in the human eye, of equal width, nicely laid, one over the other. A part so highly important, cannot be over looked in studying the philosophy of vision. * Pigment, — paint, ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 215 Fig. 83. Explanation of Fig. S3. This plan presents a longitudinal section of the left eye and orbit. a. The upper eye-lid, shut. b. The cornea. cc. The cut edges of the iris. d. The pupil or round hole through the centre of the iris. which, in the living eye, resembles a black, highly polished dot. ee. The cut edges of the sclerotic and choroid tunics, with the retina, before exhibited in the preceding drawings f. The crystaline lens, as it is lodged, with reference to other parts. gg. The Ciliary processes continued from the choroid coat. The plaits are here distinctly seen. h. The optic nerve running from the brain, through the bones, to the globe of the eye, apparently closely embraced by the straight muscles. i. The levator muscle that raises the upper eye-lid. k. The upper straight muscle of the eye. l. Inferior straight muscle, its antagonist, on the under side of the ball, called depressor occuli. m. A section of the inferior oblique muscle, used in rolling the eye upward and inward, as in looking at a button laid above the root of the nose. The superior oblique, passing through a loop, carries the eye downward and outward, as in looking at the top of the shoulder. These two muscles, by old writers, were termed rotato- res and amatores, in allusion to their office of rolling the ball in ex- pressing passions. nn. A section of the blood vessels and nerves, with a large quantity of fat, surrounding the optic nerve. 216 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. HUMORS OF THE EYE. By humors, writers mean the fluids which distend the eye-ball. They are three in number, — possessing differ- ent densities, and varying much in quality, quantity and use. Besides fulfilling the first intention, — viz, disten- sion, — they are so purely transparent, as to offer no ob- struction to the free passage of light. Those only inter- ested in this description, as general scholars, by close ex- amination will have a perfect idea of them, and will con- sequently understand the real nature of some of the many causes that weaken the power of vision, or ultimately pro- duce a total blindness. The gratification afforded by the examination of a bullock’s eye,' — tracing the several parts by this paper, will be an ample compensation for the labor, because it will forever fix on the mind interesting facts, and lead the reader, insensibly, to a course of reflections, productive of much intellectual enjoyment. AQUEOUS HUMOR.* The aqueous humor is the first in the order of demon- stration, lying directly back of the cornea, — so clear, that one unacquainted with the existence of it, would not suspect a fluid there. In volume, it is far less than the others : it keeps the cornea prominent, always at the same distance from the iris, in the early periods of'life. The space occupied by the aqueous humor, is called the ante- rior chamber of the eye. (See fig. 8!, letter/ - .) Passing freely through the pupil, it also fills an exceedingly thin apartment, the circumference of the iris, called the 'pos- terior chamber. Thus it will be comprehended that the iris, or in familiar language, first curtain, is actually sus- pended and floating in a liquor. Aqueous like water. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 217 Were it not for such a contrivance, the iris would soon become dry and shrivelled, by the intensity of the sun, and therefore rendered totally unfit to perform its appro- priate office of opening and closing the pupil. The aque- ous humor is never suffered to remain long at a time, but, on the contrary, is constantly poured in and again drawn off by an infinite number of invisible ducts. By being stationary, it would become speedily turbid, and finally lose its transparency. A knowledge of the rapidity of the secretion has been the means of encouraging occulists to undertake novel methods of extracting cataracts, a kind of dark mote, through the cornea, as the most certain mode of restoring sight. Twenty-four hours after drawing off the aqueous humor, by a puncture, the anterior chamber will be full again. Old age, characterized by a gradual decay in the vigor of all the individual organs, shows also its insidious ap- proach in the eye. Vessels that have toiled with untiring diligence to the meridian of life, begin to show a loss of energy. Those which have carried the new, pure liquid, forward a less quantity in a given time than for- merly, — while those whose task it was to convey away the old stock, are dilatory in the performance of their work. Hence, from being kept too long in the reservoir, in consequence of a tendency to become more turbid, it does not allow the light to pass with its former facility to the nerve ; elderly persons, therefore, have indistinct vision from this cause, similar to looking through a smoky at- mosphere. Fishes have no aqueous humor at all, as it could be of no service in the element in which they swim Kept, as the humor is, in its own capsule, it gives other advantages to the apparatus of vision : it is a concavo-con- vex glass, absolutely and indispensably requisite in an in- strument that will produce an image by the same laws that govern the eye. A sensible diminution in the quantity 19 218 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. of this fluid, is very apparent in people advanced in years : the cornea becomes flatter; thm segment of it is so altered, that rays of light are no longer converged as in younger days. This, together with corresponding de- rangements within the globe, constitutes the long-sighted- ness of old age, — mechanically overcome by wearing convex spectacles. So gradually are the changes wrought by age, that glasses of different focal distances are sought from time to time, to keep pace with the progress of decay. The ingenuity of man is nowhere more curiously dis- played, than in thus availing himself of his discovery of the laws of refraction, in producing artificial lenses to gratify his eye, a never failing source of enjoyment, long after nature has begun to draw the blind that will ulti- mately close between him and the world forever. CRYST A LINE LENS.* As magnifying glasses of different refractive powers give perfection to optical apparatus, so it is with respect to the lenses within the ball. By crystaline lens , is simply meant a body like a button, resembling pure flint glass, somewhat of the shape of a common sun glass, convex, on both sides. Its posterior convexity is greater than its anterior, — thereby bringing the rays to a point a little dis- tance behind it. Careful investigation shows that this lens is made of a series of plates, applied to each other like the coats of an onion : the centre is firmer tfyan the edges. As. a whole, it possesses a highly refractive property, but in different degrees, according to the thickness of the lens, — receding from the centre to the circumference. Over the whole, to keep it from sliding in any direction, * Crystaline lens, — resembling crystal or glass. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 219 that the centre may not get without the axis of vision, is an envelope, having connexion with all the coats, where they are united on the borders of the cornea, and where it joins the white part of the eye. Being equally trans- parent with the lens itself, it cannot be conveniently ex- hibited. Cataracts, the most frequent cause of blindness, origi- nate in the lens; sometimes half way between the centre and margin, hut ordinarily in the centre. They are either a peculiar deposition of opaque or milky matter, entirely preventing the ingress of light, or there is an opacity of some of the internal layers of plates, equally destructive to vision. Many children are born with this affection ; and at all ages, they are liable to form. To remove cataracts by extraction, the operator slides a sharp, thin knife, re- sembling a lancet, through the cornea, from one side to the other, cutting one half from its natural attachment — - leaving it in the form of a flap, thus: Fig, 84. - Explanation of Fig. 84. This plan represents an eye., surrounded by- its natural appen- dages, with a Unite passing through the anterior chamber. A dotted line indicates the lower edge of the flap, made by cutting off just one half the cornea f on, its attachment with the sclerotica, in order to al- low the crystalina lens to escape, whenever the knife is withdrawn. As a matter of course, the aqueous humor escapes in a twinkling, at the same moment, the capsule of the lens, previously ruptured, designedly, by the point of the knife, 220 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. as it slides along, acts upon the lens by spontaneous con- traction, and protrudes it through the wound. Undoubt- edly the grasp which the straight muscles have on the ball, accelerates its escape Thus, in taking away the obstruction to sight, the whole lens is extracted. To couch, an operation often mentioned, and often per- formed, is to thrust a delicate needle through the white of the eye, just on its border, till the point reaches the lens, which is then depressed into the lower part of the eye, below the optic axis, so that light may, by entering the pupil, arrive at the nerve. In this last operation, fears are always entertained, that the lens may rise again to its former position, rendering a repetition of the operation indispensable. Secondary cataracts sometimes form, after couching or extraction, and arise in consequence of a thick- ening and opacity of the capsule, which is left behind. Such cases are more alarming in their progress than a disease of the lens, as no surgeon is warranted in promis- ing even a partial relief. If he attempted to tear away the membrane, he might alto rend every other within the globe. A few facts of this kind which have a practical bearing, more or less interesting to every person, may lead to cor- rect views in relation to some of the diseases which are common to this curious organ. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 221 Fig. 85. E. The anterior chamber of Explanation of Figure 85. This is a scheme showing how a bad operator, by introducing the couching needle too near the cor- nea, may rupture the ciliary pro- cesses, and actually divide the lens in two pieces without moving it from the optic axis. A. The vitreous humor. B. The lens. CC Ciliary processes, torn by the lower part of the needle, thereby doing great violence and a permanent injury to the organ. DD. The iris. e aqueous humor. Fig. 86. Explanation of Fig. 86. This figure represents the mode, and, in fact, the place into which the couching needle is intro- duced, in the operation of couching. A. The pupil is seen through the transparent cornea. B. The iris. C. The needle, with the handle elevated so as to depress the point. D. The lens and point of the needle in outline ; this precisely represents the position of the lens after couching. VITREOUS HUMOR. Beyond the two humors we have been describing, is the third, differing essentially from either of them. In volume it far exceeds the others, — occupying more than two thirds of the whole interior of the ball. Its consist- ence is that of the white of an egg, but kept in place by its own capsule. When the sac is punctured with a pin, it flows out slowly in consequence of its adhesiveness. Like the preceding humors, it is transparent, allowing the free passage of light through its substance, and also pos- 19 * 222 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. messes the additional quality of allowing the rays to sepa- rate again, as they leave the point at which they were converged just back of the lens. Observation proves that the vitreous humor is kept in place by being lodged in cells. Perhaps a piece of sponge might give a tolerable idea of the cellular structure, admitting it to be as trans- parent as the water which it absorbs. On its fore part it has a depression, in which the posterior convexity of the lens is lodged, — as represented in this diagram. Concave, therefore, in front, and convex behind, gives another kind of optical glass, known as the meniscus, — the crescent, faintly resembling the first quarter of the new moon. Any person possessing an ordinary share of curiosity, can examine the optic nerve , at leisure, in slaughter houses, fish markets, and in fowls. In the human eye, — or rather extending from the globe to the brain, — the optic nerve is very much like a cotton cord, somewhat larger titan a wheat straw, of a mealy whiteness, and not far from three quarters of an inch in length. Arising from the substance of the brain, it traverses the bony canal till it reaches the back of the eye-ball ; as soon as it arrives in contact, as it were, it is suddenly divided into innumer- able filaments, which wend their way into the globe, Fig. 87. One dotted line indicates, in this diagram, the aqueous humor; an- other the iiis, and a third the lens, and the fourth the vitreous humor. Let it be remembered that all the space between the bad; side of the lens and optic nerve, is filled com- pletely, with the glairy, vitreous humor, the third fluid, and inmost .of the eye. Explanation of Figure 87. OPTIC NERVE. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 223 through very minute holes. From a fanciful resemblance to a sieve, this spot on the sclerotica, is called the cribriform plate. When the threads have emerged within, they as- sume another form, by expanding into a web, constituting the third or inmost box. Some believe the nerve is spread on a thin, unseen membrane, in the form of a highly or- ganized nervous paste. Here, on this pulp, having con- siderable range of surface, is the sole seat of vision. A vulgar opinion presupposes some exceedingly acute nervous point, — the exquisite place of vision. Nothing, however, is more absurd; vision includes considerable surface. In the centre of the substance of the nerve, an artery pene- trates the eye, accompanying the filaments, to nourish the humors. When the cornea has been cut away, and the iris detached, this vessel may be distinguished, of a bright scarlet, spreading its hair-like branches about, like the limbs of a tree. The nerves which give sensation to the eye, connecting it with the system, may be noticed, as previously remarked, lying between the two first coats. The optic nerve conveys to the mind the sensation of the existence of things, as perceived by the eye, while the commands of the same mind are conveyed to the organ by these little threads of nerves, so insignificant, as to be often overlooked in a dissection made purposely for them. 224 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Pig.. 83. Explanation of Fig. 88. In this figure, the cornea is cut away, and the sclerotic dissected back. This is a beautiful and easily accomplished dissection. In a bullock’s eye all these delicate nerves can be readily displayed. A pair of sharp pointed scissors and a few pins, to hold parts to a board, are the proper instruments. In schools, ladies could display the whole of this beautiful optical apparatus. a. The optic nerve. b. The sclerotic coat turned back, so as to show the vessels of the choroid coat. cc. The ciliary nerves, seen piercing the sclerotic coat, and pass- ing forward to be distributed to the iris. The iris, so highly- organized, is not supplied by any nervous influence from the optic, but by the hair-like nerves, here displayed, creeping to its margin between the two exterior coats. d. A small nerve passing from the- same source to the same ter- mination, but giving off no visible branches. ee. Two vena, vorticosa, or whirling veins, so denominated, be- cause they seem to fall into shapes, resembling falling jets of water; these return the blood from the eye, sent in by its central and other arteries. f. A point of the sclerotic, through which the trunk of one of the vein3 has passed. g. A lesser vein. It. The circular point of union, where all the coats of the eye, together with the cornea and iris, seem to be glued firmly together. i. The iris. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 225 k. The str aight fibres of the iris. l. A circle of fibres or vessels, which divide the iris into the larger circle k — and the lesser one m. m. This letter points to the lesser circle of the iris. n. The fibres of the lesser circle. o. The pupil. P1GMENTUM NIGRUM.* Lastly, to complete the internal structure, and fit it for the performance of its destined office, the inside surface of the second coat, choroides, is thoroughly painted black. In the order of explanation, this paint is just behind the retina. When the humors have been taken out, the pig- ment is readily examined. The use of it is very obvious; viz., to absorb any aberrating or unnecessary rays of light, which would confuse the vision, or destroy the intensity of the impression on the expanded retina, or to suffocate them entirely. SKIN OF THE EYE, OR TUNTCA CONJUNCTIVA. Behind, the eye, by its long cord of optic nerve, seems to rest on one extremity of an axle : — in front, the skin, passing over the eye, as it comes down from the forehead, to join the cheek, is the other. To comprehend, clearly, the manner in which the eye is fastened, before, — observe how the skin turns over the edge of the lid, going about three quarters of an inch back, striking the ball to which it is made fast, then folded back upon itself, adhering to the whole anterior surface of the cornea, — dipping down and finally mounting over the margin of the lower lid, and ultimately loosing itself on the face. As we cannot recognise this on a living eye, it will at once lead one to suppose it is as clear as glass, which is the case. Streaks of blood, when the eye is in- Pigmentum Nigrum — black paint . 226 ANAT0A1I0AL CLASS BOOK. flamed, lie covered over by the tunica conjunctiva. Now if particles of sand, or other irritating substances get under either eye-lid, they cannot possibly enter but little way, before reaching the duplication of this transparent skin ; there is no danger, therefore ; the offending matter cannot get so far between the socket and ball, backward, as to abridge the free motion of the organ, or do a permanent injury to the parts. This partition, or doubling over of the conjunctiva, is a curious provision, as we are thereby enabled to reach the source of irritation. The principle of introducing eye-stones, to extract foreign matter, is this, and not owing as Vulgarly sup. posed, to the crawling about of a smooth piece of sulphate of lime, on some forty or fifty feet. The stone is so much larger than the extraneous body, already there, that it ex- cites a proportionably larger quantity of tears, to wash it away : in effect, therefore, we submit to a greater tempo- rary evil, to get rid of a lesser one. Serpents annually shed their skins, which, unaccount- able as it at first appears, are whole over the eyes. That thin sheet, so very clear and fine in texture, is the con- junctiva, showing its origin, — •hence a similar origin may safely be inferred over other eyes. Every species of animal with which naturalists are conversant, possess this defensive transparent membrane. THIRD EYE-LID, OR MEMBRANA NICTITANS. A third eye-lid is given such animals as are destitute of hands, or are incapacitated, by the arrangement of their limbs, from reaching their eyes. This is called mem- brana nictitans, — and a more striking piece of mechan- ism there is not in existence. It slides from one angle of the eye to the opposite one, under the first pair of lids, — and that, too, whether the others are open or shut, ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 227 being totally independent of them in muscular action. Its use cannot be mistaken : it is on purpose for clearing away matter that may be irritating to the eye. Any ex- traneous substance is brushed from the cornea in an instant, by the broad sweep of the night lid. Birds that seek their food in the night, as owls, defend their irrita- ble organs, through the glare of daylight, by drawing over this singular curtain. Dogs, cats, foxes, wolves, bears, lions, tigers, &c, can each of them, by this brush, re- move the minutest mote from the cornea, more expedi- tiously than any occulist on the globe. TEARS. Perfection is everywhere observed in animal mechan- ics. The eye would soon become a useless instrument notwithstanding the nice adjustment of its several parts, were it not for the external apparatus of eye-lids, glands and tears, whose combined action keeps it always in a condition to be useful. Were not the cornea frequently moistened, it would become dry and shrivelled. To ob- viate this, a sack of fluid is fixed just under the edge of the orbit, above the eye-ball, which is continually pouring out its contents by the pressure and rolling of the eye. Flowing through numberless apertures, it washes the crystal and finally passing into grooves, on the inner margin of both eye-lids, runs to their terminations in a small pin-like orifice, at the inner angle. To keep them open, a hoop is set in the mouth of this tear tube. This, too, can be shown by turning, the lid outward by the finger. Finally, the tears are conveyed into the nose through a bony tube, answering the double purpose of keeping moist the lining membrane, on which the sense of smell depends. On both eye-lids, at the roots of the eye-lashes, are in each, a row of glands, equivalent to 228 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. bags, smaller than pin heads, which ooze out an oily secretion, to prevent the adhesion of them together, as is sometimes the case when the eyes are much inflamed. Surely such manifest provision for contingencies, is another beautiful illustration of super-human contrivance. Fig. 89. Explanation of Fig. 89. This plan exhibits the natural size of the passages of the tears. a Is the lachrymal gland, or organ that secretes the tears; showing its natural situation, with respect to the eye- litis. bb. The eyelids widely opened. c. The situation of the punc- ta lachrymalia, or the holes at the inner angles of the lids, through which the tears flow, to get into the tube which finally conveys the fluid to the nose. dd. The ducts continued from th e pun ctet lachrymalia. ee. The angles which the ducts form after leaving the puncta. f. The termination of the lachrymal ducts in gg. gg. The lachrymal sac. h. The nasal duct, continued from the lachrymal sac. WHY DO AGED PERSONS ’REQUIRE CONVEX GLASSES? Age gradually relaxes the tension of the whole system ; the eye, therefore, suffers in a corresponding ratio. The cornea becomes less prominent: — the convexity of the lens is also diminished, and the rays of light are conse- quently less convergent than formerly. The picture of the object is faint, because the rays have a tendency, by their divergency, to impinge at a supposable plane, be- yond the retina. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 229 Fig. 90. In this figure is represented the effect of old age on the humors; without the intervention of the glass A, the rays have a direction which would form the image at some distance beyond the retina , as at B. But, by the convex glass A, which, for example, is the spec- tacle worn by aged people, (he direction of the rays of light is so corrected, that the image falls accurately on the bottom of the eve, or retina. When the convex lens is interposed between the eye and object, as represented in the above diagram, the rays are made more converging, — so that the picture strikes exactly and distinctly on the nerve. People slide their spectacles on the nose unconsciously till the true focus is procured. WHY DO NEAR-SIGHTED PERSONS SEE INDISTINCTLY? Either the crystaline lens, but more generally the cor- nea, is too prominent — converging the light too sudden- ly ; — that is, converging the luminous rays at an unnatural place within the vitreous humor. An indistinct outline of the object is the effect of their great divergency, after decussating — before they arrive at the retina. The fol- lowing diagrams will illustrate the subject far better than a whole volume of written explanations. Fig. 91. 20 230 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Explanations of Fig. 91. In this figure, the convexity of the cornea, or the focal powers of the lens, being too great for the length of the axis of the eye, the image is formed at A, before the rays reach the surface of the retina, or inner box, illustrated in Fig. 81, letter c ; and after coming accu- rately to the point, they again begin to diverge ; which diverging rays, striking the surface of the retina, give the indistinct vision of the near-sighted individual. But as this indistinctness of vision proceeds from no opacity, but only the disproportion of the convexity of the eye to the diameter, the defect is corrected by a concave glass, represented in the next figure. Concave glasses are the restoratives of the near-sighted eye, by separating the rays, and carrying the image so far back as to place it on the retina. Old age, the de- struction of the first eye, eventually restores the near- sighted, by the gradual flattening of the cornea, till at threescore and ten such persons can see clearly and distinctly without artificial aid. Many near-sighted people totally ruin the organ by prematurely wearing glasses, as a focus is established which neither glasses can keep pace with in age, nor age thoroughly overcome. Explanations of Fig. 92. The effect of this glass being exactly the reverse of the convex, it causes the rays to fall upon the surface of the eye, so far diverg- ing from the perpendicular line, as to correct the too great converg- ence, caused by the convexity of the humors. When a near-sighted person has brought the object near enough (o the eye to see it dis- tinctly, he sees more minutely and consequently more clearly, because he sees the object larger, and as a person with a common eye does, when assisted with a magnifying glass. A near-sighted person sees distant objects indistinctly, and, as the eye, in conse- quence, rests with less accuracy upon surrounding objects, the piercing look of the eye is very much diminished; and it has, more- over, a dulness and heaviness of aspect. Again, the near-sighted person knits his eye-brows, and half closes the eye-lids y this he does unconsciously, to change the direction of the rays, and to cor- ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 231 rect the inaccuracy of the image. Near-sighted people have but little expression ; the countenance loses all its dignity, by habitually wearing glasses. THE IMAGE OF AN OBJECT IN THE EYE, IS INVERTED. Rays of light going from the upper and lower points of an object, are refracted towards the perpendicular : that is, bent out of the course which they have a tendency to run, by the crystaline lens behind, where they unite in a point, — and, then crossing, diverge again. Here then, the image is bottom upward, as will be noticed in the preceding diagrams by the arrow', and its image on the retina. Decussation is indispensable to the vision of things. An object could not be represented on a point ; there must be surface to create an image on, and by the laws of optics, the representation of the object, without an additional glass within the eye, must necessarily be as it is — bottom upward. THE OBJECT APPEARS IN ITS TRUE POSITION. Habit is supposed to be the cause of seeing objects as they really exist in relation to surrounding bodies. An attempt has been made to prove that the cornea is the true seat of vision, and that we see by means of erect and re- flected, and not by refracted and inverted images. A few philosophers conceive that the mind contemplates the ob- ject only, without reference to its representative on the retina, which is made there as a natural result. Certain it is, that without the image, there is no vision. How the brain is operated upon by the light that de- fines the object, will probably never be known. The minuteness of the picture traced on the retina, precisely like the object in every minute particular, is truly aston- ishing. By cutting off the coats of a bullock’s eye and 232 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. holding a clean white paper near, this beautiful exhibition can be leisurely observed. If a sheet of white cotton cloth, six feet square, is elevated 24,000 feet in the air, the eye being supposed one inch in diameter, the miniature of the cloth on the retina will be only one eight thousandth part of an inch square ; which is equivalent to the 666th part of a line, — being only the 66th part of the width of a common hair ! WITH BOTH EYES ON Ll r ONE OBJECT IS SEEN. At one side of the centre of each eye, there is a surface more susceptible of visual impressions than any other. These points correspond in both eyes — being precisely on the two retinas alike. An impression therefore on one, provided the light strikes them equally, produces precisely the same effect on both. This, instead of making vexa- tion, gives strength and greater vividness, as the images are on surfaces of the same structure, transmitting, through the two optic nerves, the same idea, or that indescribable something that creates an idea. The optic axes, by this explanation, will be understood. If one eye is distorted, — pressed by the finger one side, when we are in the act of contemplating an object, it will appear double, but less distinct in the one so distorted. The rationale is this ; viz. the visual surface on which the image is made, so exactly alike in both eyes, as to call up but one idea, being forced out of the optic axis, the rays still make the pic- ture, but on a surface, less highly organized, — that does not correspond with the surface on that retina which has not been disturbed. The two images have now different localities. No course of experiments are more within the reach of the scholar. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 233 Fig. 93. the same relation to the retinas Explanation of Fig. 93. In this figure, B, B. the eyes; having their axes directed to A, will see the object C, double, some- where near the outline D, D. Be- cause the line of the direction of the rays from C, do not strike the retina in the same relation to the axis A, B, in both eyes. If a can- dle is placed at the distance of ten feet, and I hold my finger at arm’s length, between the eye and the candle, when I look at the candle, my finger appears double, and when I look at the finger, the can- dle is double. Explanation of Fig. 94. A is exactly in the centre of the axes of both eyes ; consequently it is distinctly seen, and it also ap- pears single, because the form of it strikes upon the points of the retina, opposite to the pupils in both eyes. Those points have a correspond- ence, and the object is strengthened in the liveliness of the image. Again, the object B will be seen fainter, but single and correct. It will appear so because there is only one spot in each eye, which pos- sesses the degree of sensibility ne- cessary to perfect vi-ion; thus, it will be understood, the object will appear single, as the rays of light proceeding from it have exactly in both eyes. CROSS-EyED PERSONS SEE ONLY WITH ONE EYE. With such as have a permanent squint, (cross-eye,) only one eye is attended to, though they may not be apprehen- sive of the fact. From continued neglect, the distorted organ wanders farther and farther from the axis of vision, 20 * 234 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. till it finally becomes totally useless: hence one is doubt- ful, at times, which way the cross-eyed person is looking, from a want of parallelism in the motions of the eyes. When the wandering eye is exclusively attended to, the vision appears unimpaired. The image is well painted in the natural one, but weak in the other, solely because the place of the image does not correspond with the place of the image in the first. The mind, instinctively, therefore, is devoted to the eye that gives the liveliest impression, to the entire neglect of its aberrating fellow. THE PUPILS OF AN ALBINO’S EYES ARE RED. If a person is born without the pigmentum nigrum , — which is the paint to suffocate all unnecessary light, after the image is formed, — the blood vessels of which the tunica choroides or second coat is made, are not hidden ; consequently, they show through the transparent humors, like a sparkling red gem, the size of the diameter of the pupil. Such persons can see better in a weak light than in broad day, because the brightness of the sun’s light dazzles, and produces a tremulous motion in the whole or- gan. As an evidence that this redness is caused by the blood in the vessels, after death, when it coagulates, the redness in a great measure disappears. White rabbits, white mice, besides a vast variety of birds, have no pig- ment on the choroides, and are therefore distinguished for red pupils. The existence of the pigmentum nigrum, is an evidence of a day-seeing eye. In man the want of it, constituting the albino, is an anomaly. A morbid action of the absorbents sorhetimes removes the paint, and the pupil, to the surprise of observers, be- comes scarlet. A partial absorption of it is often the cause of a diminution of the original powers of vision . under such circumstances, the pupil assumes a bronze ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 235 hue, accompanied by a debility and tremor of the globe under the influence of a moderate degree of light. MANY ANIMALS SEE IN THE DARK. Owls, fishes, cats, bats, &c, instead of the pigmentum nigrum, have a silvery paint of a metallic lustre, where others have the black paint, which operates like a concave mirror, in reflecting the light from point to point, within the eye, illuminating it, till its concentration excites the retina to perceive. When viewing a cat’s eyes in the re- mote part of a dark room, there are certain positions, in which they are seen by the observer, by the reflected light within themselves, as though they were phosphorescent : their brilliancy is very peculiar. Upon the principle of a looking-glass behind the retina, all the night prowling an- imals are qualified for seeing with those few rays of light, which the constitution of their eyes is formed for collect- ing in the dark. By daylight, they perceive objects, as man does in the dark, indistinctly. Nature is remarkably economical in the use of matter which enters into the composition of animal bodies. Jf a man be kept a long time in a perfectly dark room, the black pigment is taken away; but a compensation is giv- en him, for he can then see as perfectly in the dark, as he could before in the light. On the other hand, the paint is deposited again when he is restored to the light of day. This point has been decided in the persons of state pris- oners kept in the dungeons of European despots. FISHES CANNOT SEE IN AIR AS WELL AS IN WATER. When the rays of light pass from a rarer to a denser medium, as from air into the aqueous humor of the eye, they are refracted towards the perpendicular. Now the fish has but a drop as it were, of aqueous humor, and, 236 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. moreover, the light arrives at its eyes through the whole body of water above. The light is refracted only in a small degree in entering its eye, because the humor is of the same density of the fluid through which the light is transmitted. The cornea is quite flat ; if it were promi- nent, like the human eye, the sphere of vision would be too circumscribed; — but by giving a prominence to the whole, and placing the crystal ine lens in the fore part of the eye, they have a long diameter, — and with the provision of a large pupil, are completely fitted for seeing in the element in which they were destined to live. With an eye of this description they must necessarily see in air, as other animals see in water. Those animals whose eyes are organized for seeing in water, see but indifferently in air. Hence, in those cases where the habits of the animal require it to see in both elements it is provided with two sets of eyes, or with eyes accommodated for seeing in both. It cannot be denied, that, in general, land animals can see under water, and aquatic animals in air; even man sees under water, although the contrary has been main- tained. It is not, however, possible that the same eye is ever so organized as to see equally well in both elements. Land animals always see indifferently in water, and aquatic animals imperfectly in air. The one is long- sighted in water, and the other short-sighted in air. An animal in which the eye is adapted for seeing equally well in air and water, can have but imperfect vision in either. These conclusions are in conformity with what is known of the power of vision in those animals which live partly on the land and partly in the water. The seal lives in both elements; but it has but imperfect vision in the air. We have the most satisfactory evidence of the short- sightedness of seals, from a series of experiments and ob- servations, made in Boston harbor. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 237 As a light looses more of its power in passing through water, than in passing through air, and is still more weak- ened in its progress through the membranes, it follows, that owing to this cause, vision must be less distinct un- der water than in the air. MAN CANNOT SEE DISTINCTLY UNDER WATER. A man under water, sees objects as a very aged per- son sees through a concave glass, placed close to the eye. The fish is long-sighted under water, and man is short- sighted. If he uses spectacles, whose convexity is just equal on both sides to the cornea of his own eye, he will see under water distinctly. The necessity of this is ob- vious ; the aqueous humor is of the same density with the water, and there cannot, therefore, be any refraction of the rays in passing from the water into the land-seeing eye. Euclid supposed that vision was occasioned by the emission of rays from the eye to the object. He thought it more natural to suppose that an animate substance gave an emanation, than that an inanimate one did. In 1560, the opinion that the rays entered the eye, was established. Kepler, in 1600, showed, geometrically, how the rays were refracted through all the humors, so as to form a dis- stinct picture on the retina ; and he also demonstrated the effect of glasses on the eyes. HOW DOES THE EYE ADAPT ITSELF TO THE DISTANCE OF OBJECTS. No one has satisfactorily answered this question. One philosopher supposes the eye at rest, when we" examine a distant object, as a mountain, the spire of a church, or a landscape, but, that in the act of seeing near objects, there is an effort. It has been supposed that this effort ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 238 is the action of the straight muscles, exhibited in the first plan of the cordage of the eye, compressing the globe, so equally, as to elongate the eye, and lengthen the axis, so much, as to favor the union of the pencils of rays on the retina. This could not take place in many aquatic ani- mals, in whose eyes the sclerotica is perfect bone. Another opinion is, that the eye is at rest in looking at near objects, and laboring, when viewing things at a dis- tance. Another is of the opinion that the iris contracts, and so draws the circular margin of the cornea towards the pupil, as to make it more or less convex, according to circumstances. A great variety of experiments have been instituted, to determine, accurately, whether there really is any change made in the length of the axis of the eye-ball or not, but none of them can be certainly relied upon. A favorite theory has had its advocates, that the crystaline lens has an inherent power of altering its de- gree of convexity ; and thus accommodates the eye to all distances. The truth is, an action takes place in the eye, in adapting itself to near and distant objects, which de- pends on that vital property of a living system, which no theory can reach, and which the deductions of human philosophy can never with certainty explain. / ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 239 QUESTIONS. How many coats has the eye ? What is the cornea ? How many humors has the eye ? What is the office of the lens ? What is the retina ? What do you understand by the pupil ? Where is the iris located ? What is the use of the ciliary process ? Where is the pigment found ? Why is the pupil red in the albino ? What is the function of the iris ? Why is but one object seen with both eyes ? What is the cause of squinting ? How are some animals able to see in the dark ? Why cannot a man see under water? Why are convex spectacles necessary for the aged ? What causes near-sightedness ? On what does the color of the eye depend? What is the position of the image on the retina ? How does the eye alter its focus ? What is the use of the aqueous humor ? On what does the brilliancy of the organ depend ? Where are the tears secreted ? What is the effect of distorting one eye ? How many muscles are attached to the globe ? 240 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. FEELING, OR TOUCH. Touch is a sensation excited by the contact of bod- ies, by which we are enabled to appreciate their various qualities, as hard, soft, — heat, cold, wet and dry. The immediate seat of this sense, is at the point where the nerves terminate in little papillae, and therefore most per- fect at the points of the fingers. This sense is undergoing incessant changes, from infancy to age. That general sense of feeling over all the surface of the body, by which we can designate the forms and other characters of substances brought in contact with the skin, we define to be perception. SMELLING. Perhaps the sense of smelling is of the least conse- quence to man, of all his senses : nature designed it and placed it as a safeguard over the stomach, — to detect the hurtful from the wholesome food, — and in savages it an- swers this purpose, being always in requisition. In civil- ized life, however, it is of very little consequence. Its importance to brutes is manifested continually. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 241 T A S T I NG. This sense resides in the tongue, on which the gustatory nerve terminates, in the form of very small tubercles, be- ginning at the point and reaching quite into the throat. By it we distinguish certain qualities, as sioeet , sour, bitter, acrid, &c. Before the sensation is complete, the sub- stance is necessarily dissolved in the saliva of the mouth, by which means it is uniformly presented to the nervous papillae. 21 242 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. THE GLANDS, OR ADENOLOGY. Glands are generally round, fatty bodies, placed at short distances both internally and externally, — whose function is either to secrete a fluid, or change the quality of that which has been collected by another gland in the neigh- borhood. Thus, the salivary glands about the inside of the cheek, and below the tongue, secrete the saliva of the mouth. The lachrymal glands secrete the tears, and the mucus glands secrete mucus. Their importance in the animal economy is very great. Tumefactions, or sudden swellings of glands by severe colds, indicate, by the de- rangement they cause to other organs, their high con- sequence. INTERNAL ORGANS, OR SPLANCHNOLOGY. Under this division, is embraced the viscera or con- tents of the three great cavities, viz, in the head, chest and abdomen. Of the contents of the skull, we have al- ready treated. VISCERA OF TIIE THORAX. Within the thorax or chest which is bounded by the ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 243 neck above and the diaphragm or midrif below, are con- tained the following organs, viz ; the pleura , lungs, heart , thymus gland, (Esophagus, thoracic duct, arch of the aorta, branches of the cava, vena azygos, eight pair of nerves and part of the sympathetic nerve. PLEURA. Two membranous sacks are lodged in the chest, one on either side, attached closely to the ribs, but their sides meeting in the middle, under the breast bone, unite and form a partition, called mediastinum. Thus the chest is lined, so that each lung has an independent apartment. The heart, enclosed in its case, lies in a triangular space between the two lungs. DIAPHRAGM. This is nearly a horizontal partition between the chest and abdomen, and is perfectly muscular. Its border ad- heres to the ribs, breast bone and spine. Through it, near the spine, are openings for the passage of the swal- low, blood-vessels and nerves. The diaphragm is a muscle of respiratiom, — rising up- ward, as the lungs collapse, and falling down again, as the lungs become inflated. LUNGS. There are two membranous organs, by which breath ing is effected. The physiology of the function of the lungs has been considered, in detail with the circulation of the blood. They are divided into right and left : the right lung has three lobes, but the left, only two. They seem to be made up of a spongy substance, air tubes and blood-vessels. Their use cannot be misapprehended. 244 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. By respiration is meant the ingress of air into the lungs, and by expiration its egress from them. Voluntary respiration depends upon the will, when we are awake, but spontaneous, is the respiration of sleep. It is thought that the exciting cause of the process, is the irritation of the nerves in the air cells, which by a consent of parts, gains the assistance of the diaphragm and inter- costal muscles and vibs, to expel it. The object of respi- ration, is the oxygenation of the blood. Though the vital temperature of the body cannot be readily accounted for, it is generally admitted that heat is developed by the action of the atmospheric air on the volume of blood exposed to its influence with the air cells. As an introduction to a description of the vocal apparatus of man, and other animals, it seems necessary, first, to explain both the process of breathing, and its necessity, in the animal economy : because, in the sequel it will be apparent, that without lungs, there could be no voice. Such is the constitution of every living creature, that a free use of atmospheric air is absolutely necessary for sus- taining life. The mere circumstance of being surrounded by air is not sufficient ; if it were, there would be various ingenious devices for maintaining life, after the lungs were rendered useless by disease or accident. It is absolutely necessary that air should be taken into the system, and brougJat in contact with the moving blood. The various modes by which nature has accomplished this, in the mechanism of some animals, will now be con- sidered. If Spallanzani and some others are to be credited, in their accounts of what they discovered by the microscope, we have the first plan of a breathing structure. Spallan- zani, pretended he saw the respiration of animalcules in vinegar. They were shaped like stars, and in the centre of each were two dark globular spots, one of which he con- ceived to be the heart pulsating, and the other the lungs. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 245 Every two or three seconds, to use his own words, they were slowly blown up, three or four times their natural size, and then slowly compressed again. A modern phy- siologist remarks, that the Abbe must have forgotten him- self in assigning them lungs, for they were evidently aquatic animals, and therefore did not require them. Passing by the microscope let us examine something more tangible, — the families of insects. They are so organised that in proportion to their bulk, they require a prodigious supply of air. The heart is the only percepti- ble organ in flies and worms : how their breathing organs are constructed, we are totally ignorant. But pertaining to that apparatus, the existence of which cannot be questioned, are an immense number of air tubes, coursing over and through every part of them, distinguish- able with the naked eye, resembling white lines. It is necessary that these be always distended. They open, generally, with free mouths, on the sides of the body, and wherever there is a ring or line, it marks the place of one of them. In worms, it also appears necessary that the air holes or spirucula, be perfectly free and open. The moment a little varnish is applied, ever so delicately, to the last holes, that portion towards the tail is paralyzed. By closing the next two, another ring is palsied ; if all but the two last, to- wards the head are closed, it still lives, though it cannot move : but when the last of the series are closed, it dies immediately. Some vermin require more air, judging from analogy, than others much superior in size. So variously are the tubes ramified, that the viscera appears to occupy only about one fifth of the whole internal cavity. Before insects arrive to their perfect state of existence, they are destined to undergo several interesting changes. First they are worms, ordinarily of a loathsome and dis- 21 * 246 ANATOMICAL CLjfSS BOOK. gusting appearance ; and lastly, a beautiful winged insect, the object of peculiar admiration. In this change, there is nothing discoverable to the philosopher like the death and resurrection of the insect, so often the theme of writers. It does not die, while undergoing the change, if it did, the process would never be perfected : close the spiracula and there is forever an end to its existence. While the caterpillar crawls on its numerous feet, un- der its coarse, hairy skin, it has six legs, inimitably folded next the body ; — two pair of wings, that only require the sun’s rays to astonish us with the beauty of their coloring ; and a proboscis, nicely packed away, to sip the honey which will be its future food. The period finally arrives, when a development of these embryo organs is about to take place. Some inscrutable sensation, of which the worm appears to have an instinctive knowledge, as it seeks a quiet, safe and warm retreat, gives it a timely warning. The old covering becomes dry and dark ; the fluids cease to circulate in it, and gradually, as the legs and wings gain freedom within, they push it entirely off ; — thus disentangled, it flits away on its untried wings, from flower to flower. While the skin was drying, the worm breathed as it did before, through the air holes of the old covering. Insects, it is supposed, never breathe by the mouth. The nymphae of gnats can raise themselves to the sutface of a pool, and breathe by an orifice in their backs. The hydrocanthiri breathe by thrusting their tails out of water. Bugs, flies and worms which live in filth, ditches, and deep under ground, breathe the pure air which is in their air tubes, and when it is exhausted, they travel near enough to the surface to replenish their stock. But the maggot of the eruca labra has the most extraordinary ap- paratus imaginable. It shoots from its tail, a tube, resem- bling the slides of a spyglass, — one beyond another. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 247 The last has a star-like tuft on the end, which unfolding on the water, enables it, thus buoyed up^to breathe freely, while it floats about at pleasure, — in search of food. Fishes are without lungs, and yet they require a constant supply of air, though in a lesser quantity than animals with a double heart. Such is their peculiarity of structure, that they breathe a mixture of air and water together. The gills enable them to perform this process. Deprive water of its air, and the fish dies as soon as it would out of water. The free exposure of the gills to water is not sufficient : it is necessary to propel the water through them forcibly. If the feathery gills of a small perch could be unfolded and spread, it is not improbable that they would cover a square yard. This will not appear so extraordinary, when it is recollected that the nerve in a dog’s nose, is spread into so thin a web, that it is computed to be four yards square. Observe the wonderful economy of nature ; this web is so rolled up, like a scroll of parchment, that it could be packed away in a lady’s thimble. Nearly one third of all the blood is exposed to the ac- tion of the air, in the gills, at the same time. The fish draws in a mouthful of water, and with a quick motion, by closing the jaws, drives it through the gills, and this im- parts vitality, and restores the red color to the dark blood of the veins. Various tribes of fishes which seek their food in the mud, and foetid, turbid water, have a striking provision for defending their gills; otherwise they would become clog- ged, and breathing would be interrupted by the very filth in which they were actually created to live. Their gills are small, and covered by the common skin of the body. The water is taken at the mouth, and driven with the same force, as in the other case, but emptied through holes on each side of the neck, just back of the jaws. The force is always sufficient, by dividing the water into 248 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. distinct portions, to keep the openings completely clear. In fact, the action is like that of an apothecary’s syringe. A familiar example of this sort of animal mechanism may be seen in the lamprey eel. A similar breathing apparatus is provided for shell fishes, having, however, an additional contrivance, by which they can live a considerable time out of water. Here let the mechanism be particularly noticed, and admired too, as the first step towards a terrestrial animal. As those in- habiting salt water are necessarily exposed, by the reced- ing of tides, without a limb to assist them in regaining their home, and so organized with extensive gills, encir- cling two thirds the circumference of the shell, that they cannot breathe air, their apparently helpless condition has been provided for in this interesting manner ; viz. they are furnished with a long elastic pipe, which is a reservoir for water. At necessary intervals, the fish ejects a drop with surprising force, through the fringes of the gills, and then remains quiet, till some instinctive sensation warns it of the necessity of again working its forcing pump. Being cold blooded, that is, having the single heart, one throw of the brake suffices for a long time. In travelling over a clam bed, at low tide, the tremor communicated to the fish, apprises it of approaching dan- ger, — and the nearer the observer advances, the more distinctly can he witness the amazing projectile force with which the clam drives a little column of water up through the sand. This is only part of the contents of the tube. Nothing but continued irritation will induce the clam to part with the remainder, — - which is noticed, in digging, just as the shell is exposed to the light. By this reserved fund, it can live many days, in open air. It is by this tube of water, that the oyster is kept alive in the shops. As the exposure in the open air, ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 249 weakens its system, it recruits itself, by jetting a drop of water through its gills. This drop may be seen morning after morning, on a dry board : — but when the reservoir is wholly exhausted, it opens its shell, fearless of conse- quences, and seeks in despair, wherever it can reach, a fountain, to replenish its engine : — thus it languishes, and at last dies, a protracted death, in search of its ac- customed element. No class of animals are more wonderful on the other hand, than the amphibious. They live alternately in two elements, — hearing and seeing tolerably well in both. The structure of some of their organs of sense, have already been considered. But it is not true, as too gene- rally believed, that they alternately respire air and water, or a mixture of both. They are cold blooded animals, it is true, with a single heart — as, for example, the frog and aquatic lizards. The water seems to be their peculiar element, but after all, they breathe the air exclusively. They constitutionally require only a small quantity of oxygen, or vital air, to sustain life, and keep the machinery in operation. They have lungs, but they have but a faint re- semblance to those having warm blood, with a double heart. Their lungs are merely membranous bags or cylinders, which in their dry, prepared state, appear like bubbles of froth. The next extraordinary circumstance is this — that breathing is an act depending on the will ; that is, they can breathe regularly, at short intervals, for days together, or they can stop the respiratory process for hours, or perhaps days, and continue equally vigorous. Fishes, we have seen, force the water through their gills: the same process of forcing air into these membra- nous tubes, is accomplished in amphibious animals, by a very little additional mechanism — the mouth acts precisely like a bellows. The jaws are grooved above and below, that they may be air tight, and a slit, acting like a valve, is placed at the root of the tongue, over the wind-pipe 250 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. leading to the lungs. Let it be recollected that the mouth is never opened, except for food: the air is drawn in through very small nostrils, which in the frog and neut, are not larger than cambric needles. The animal slowly draws its mouth full of air, and when sufficiently distend- ed, forces it through the valve, hy the skin, which looks like a pouch under the lower jaw. The lungs being full, give additional size to the body. The abdominal muscles re-act and slowly press it out again, and thus we have an example of the mode by which this class of animals breathe. If the frog’s mouth be kept open with a prop, it will inevitably die, as there is no power by which it can inhale air, short of the bellows of its jaws. It requires no phi- losophy, after becoming acquainted with these interesting facts, to account for their large mouths and broad jaws. No other shape or structure would so completely consti- tute the bellows. Neuts, lizards and the camelion’s lungs, are cylinders, running down the sides of their bodies, the whole length, and as they force in the air precisely by the same process, it will explain the reason of their appearing fat at one time, or thin and lank at another. When irritated, or in fear, they blow up their bodies to frightful dimensions, to appear more formidable, upon the same instinctive princi- ple that cats, dogs, hedgehogs and fowls, bristle up their covering at the approach of an enemy, superior to them in strength. The different colors with which the cantelion so readily dresses itself, depend on this peculiarity of its lungs. The skin is covered with an exquisitely fine covering, like vel- vet. If the lungs be filled to a certain extent the swelling of the body erects the fleece, so that the manner in which the light strikes it, makes the animal appear green, white, or of other colors: another blast into the lungs, gives ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 251 another inclination to the fleece, and it has another tint. When, by irritation, its body is blown up to its greatest dimensions, various modifications of these colors are exhibited. From this tribe of reptiles, the first advance is made towards endowing animals with the power of producing vocal sounds. The water is only capable of propagating a vibration, but that with great certainty and strength, and nature has constructed an ear, suited to the element and the habits of all aquatic beings. To have bestowed an ear, susceptible of receiving the modification of sound, would have been superfluous, inasmuch as the modifica- tions are alone effected in the vocal box of those breath- ing air. The atmosphere is the medium of modified sound : it is an elastic medium which can be put in motion by the vibration of solid bodies. It is a medium, which, when set in motion by a mechanical contrivance of the greatest apparent simplicity, transmits the wants of animals, in what is denominated its natural cry, and in man, expresses not only his wants, his pleasures, and his pains, but all his thoughts, — because his voice represents ideas. Lan- guage, therefore, is the symbol of thought. The voice of all animals remains the same through endless generations, unless the vocal apparatus is artificial- ly altered. Indeed the vocal organs are so constituted, that they admit of little variety in their movements: — every succeeding class, however, exhibits an additional muscle, a bone, or some difference in the shape of the tongue, giving it the power of either making one more sound than the race below, or some modulation of the original tone. Were it not for this progression in the con- trivance, the voice of all animals would be precisely the same, like sounding one note continually on a musical instrument. 252 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Let us examine another curious mode of respiration, peculiar to birds. Although there is an external resem- blance, in the shape of their bones, to quadrupeds, and the muscles Avhich move them are similarly arranged, to effect a circle of motions, their structure has reference to their wafting themselves through the air. In the first place, the long bones are without marrow — being hollow tubes, filled with air, these actually have openings communicating with the lungs. At their further extremities they permit the air to circulate into the ends of each feather; — and lastly, the body has large apart- ments exclusively appropriated for the reception of the same air. Their lungs, unlike the light frothy tube of reptiles, is spongy and gorged with blood, and totally un- like those belonging to any other animal. In the bird, the lungs are open at each end,' and are so closely tied down to the back bone and ribs, that they admit of little or no distention or contraction. Their breathing is effected in the following manner; viz, the air is drawn into the vacuum caused by the pressure of the strong muscles of the abdomen. In other words, the weight of the atmosphere forces it in, so that the current rushes through the whole length of the lungs, where the blood is waiting for its appearance, and passes to the extremities of all the bones and feathers. The proper change being wrought in the venous blood, it is circulated again to the heart, while the muscles again empty the lungs and air cells, contiguous, by a general compression of the whole. Here is discoverable the me- chanism for producing voice, seen in its elements in the frog, improved upon, by additional cords and vibrating cartilages, susceptible of receiving a current of air, in a manner a little different, to produce one, two or three different tones. Lastly, nature has effected respiration by a more com- ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 253 plex piece of mechanism, in those animals whose bodies are divided into two apartments by the diaphragm. A difference of structure does not appear in the air cells of the lungs of about forty varieties of animals, including man. The only circumstances observable relates to their shape and subdivisions, depending on the configuration of the cavity in which they are lodged. The human lungs are suspended in the chest, much as they are in brutes, by the wind-pipe, and so tied down at the upper part of the neck, and so carefully fitted to the dimensions of the box, in which they are lodged, that no position of the body can throw them out of place. There is a right and a left lung, perfectly independent of each other, and separated by a middle partition. Exactly in the centre of this partition, in quadrupeds, the heart lies, but in man, it is on the left side, and there- fore projects into the cavity of the left lung. They are made up of millions of air cells, which are filled at every inspiration. The blood, directly from the heart, is thrown into them in prodigious quantities, and circulates so mi- nutely, that each air cell is completely surrounded by a sheet of dark blood. VOICE. We shall now inspect the contrivance by which sounds are produced by animals. By voice animals have the power of making themselves understood to their own species — and these sounds are either articulate or inarticulate. Language is an acquired power, having its origin in the wants of more than one individual. Man, without socie- ty, would only utter a natural cry, which sound would express nothing but pain. Supposing a human being to have been entirely forsaken 22 254 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. by those of his species, in that stage of infancy, when he could have no recollection of anything pertaining to his race, his voice would, in essence, remain the cry of an infant, only strengthened in tone, at a particular age, by the development of the vocal organs, to their destined size. But let two individuals bs placed together, but without communication or knowledge of the existence of beings similar to themselves, the natural cry of each would un- dergo modifications : the one would make a sound, to express a particular sensation, which in time would be un- derstood by the other : a repetition of the same note would be the sign of that sensation in future. An additional sensation, having an intimate connexion with the first, would require a variation of tone, — and this would also become a symbol of two sensations. Here then would be the origin of language. Multiply the spe- cies, and each new member of the society would express some other sensation or want, by another modification of the original cry. Here we discover the certain commence- ment of a spoken language ; these different sounds becom- ing classified, constitute a dictionary, in which each word is the mark or sign of particular sounds; — thus, if an in- dividual can imitate the sound-, or a series of sounds, he masters a language. Let it be remembered that man could never arrive to this perfection in sound or language, if his vocal organs were not differently constructed from brutes. Such is the mechanism of theirs, that so many sounds, and no more, can be made ; but in man’s organs, there is no limitation — no sound appreciable that he can- not imitate. THE VOCAL BOX OR LARYNX. Directly under the integuments on the front side of the ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 255 neck, is a cartilaginous tube, the trachea or wind-pipe, built up of a series of narrow strips, which are portions of a ring ; therefore, it is always kept free and open. At its lower end it divides into two branches, going to the lungs on either side, but its upper portion is enlarged, just under the chin, and finally opens in common with the tube of the stomach and mouth. This enlarged part, quite promi- nent in man, is the larynx or vocal organ. Several cartilages assist in its formation, viz, the thyroid , cricoid, th e arytoenoicl and the epiglottis. The cricoid is the foundation ; the thyroid is the wall around it ; the ary- taenoid are appendages to the back of the cricoid, and the epiglottis is a valve, opening and closing the entrance into the wind-pipe, like the valve of a bellows. Explanation of Figs. 95. 96. The five cartilages are. 1. The epiglottis. 2. The thyroid cartilage. 3. the cricoid auxiliary and 4. The two arytsenoid cartilages. 5. The two superior horns of the thyroid cartil- age. 6. The two inferior horns. 7. The suspensory liga- ment of the os hyoides. 8. The os hyoides. 9. The azj'gos ligament, connecting the os hyoides to the thyroid cartilage. 10. The two lateral liga- ments connecting the horns of the os hyoides to the superior horns of the thyroid cartilage. One of these diagrams presents a front and the other a back view of the larynx or vocal box. The hone of the tongue is seen, like half of a hoop marked S, in both plans. 2 is the front of the thyroid cartilage, felt under the skin — protruding in the form of an irregu- lar tumor. The wind-pipe is the tube at the bottom of each larynx. ANATOMICAL CLASS HOOK. 256 1 he vocal cords — the membranes which vibrate to produce sound, as the current of air rushes by, are concealed, being placed inside, b roni the remarks in the text, together with the references, a very correct idea will be formed of the structure of this curious organ. By blowing through the wind-pipe of almost any animal, soon after it is slain, provided the larynx has not been injured, the vocal cords may be put in motion, and the sound which is produced will bear considerable analogy to (he natural voice of the animal. Within the larynx, and consequently below the valve, are four delicate membranes, two on each side, put upon the stretch — being in fact, like shelves, — their thin edges nearly meeting from the opposite sides, so that there is scarcely any space between them. These are the vocal cords. When the air rushes out from the lungs through the wind-pipe, it must obviously pass through the larynx, — in doing which it strikes the tense edges of the cords, and produces a vibration. This vibratory motion given to the current of air, produces sound. In the cavities of the bones of the face, forehead and nose, its power is increased, and in the mouth it undergoes further modifications, and ultimately becomes articulate language. The teeth, tongue, lips, nose and fauces have each an influence in the production of articulate sounds. Hence grammarians have arranged the human voice under the appropriate divisions of guttural, nasal , dental and labial sounds, — expressive of the agency which each of these organs exert on the original tone. Shrillness or roughnessof voice depends on the diameter of the larynx, — its elasticity, lubricity, and the force with which the expired air is propelled through the rima glot- t-idis, or slit like chink, between the vocal cords. Because the larynx is smaller in women, and more elas- tic, their voice is of a different character. The breaking of the voice, vox rauca, noticeable in boys, at a particu- lar age, depends partly on the enlargement of the apart- ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 257 ments within the bones, which generally take place at that important crisis of their lives, when the whole constitution undergoes a sudden change. But the mechanism of voice would have been incom- plete, were there not a number of exceedingly delicate muscles, \vhich graduate the diameter of the narrow slit through which the sound escapes into the mouth. Uncon- sciously, they effect the requisite contractions, forever varying, according to the rapidity, intensity, or strength of the voice, in singing, conversation or declamation. Finally, the larynx is a musical wind instrument, of the reeded kind, on the principle of the hautboy. The near- ness of the vocal cords to each other resembles the reed precisely. All the tones of reeded instruments are effect- ed by finger holes, — but the tones of the human voice are varied by the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles, which shorten or elongate the vocal tube. Thus the same re- sult is produced by this process, — increasing or diminish- ing the diameter of the larynx, that is accomplished in the clarionet, bassoon, flute and hautboy, by a graduated scale of finger holes. Is not this another beautiful mechanical evidence of the existence of a Being superior to ourselves ? 22 * 258 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. THE VISCERA, OR SPLANCHNOLOGY. THE FOOD-PIPE, OR .ESOPHAGUS. This is a fleshy tube, going from the back of the mouth to the stomach, through the chest, lying in the neck be- hind the wind-pipe. Its upper portion is called the pha- rynx, or fauces, and its lower, the cardiac extremity, termi- nating in the stomach. THYMUS GLAND. Infants and young children possess a singular gland, located just behind the top of the breast bone, which has the appellation of thymus gland. In adults, it is obliterated ; hence it is supposed to be serviceable only in the early stages of our existence. THORACIC DUCT. Quite low in the abdomen is found a white, ex- quisitely delicate tube, which runs upward by the side ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 259 of the spine, and finally terminates by communica- ting with a large vein in the angle between the neck and shoulder, on the left side. All the nutritious sub- stance which has been collected from the food in the in- testinal tube, — now called chyle, which is white like milk, is conducted to this thoracic duct, and thence car- ried on to be poured directly into the circulation, to be- come blood. ABDOMEN. Bounded by the diaphragm above, the pelvic bones be- low and the muscles at the sides, the abdomen is the most capacious of all the cavities. Its lining membrane is the ■peritonaeum. Various organs, principally subservient to digestion, are contained within it. They are the following. OMENTUM. Vulgarly, the omentum is the cawl, — a sort of apron lying in front of the intestines, suspended mainly from the stomach. liver. Being the largest and heaviest viscus in the body, the liver has also a vast influence on the condition of the whole. It is divided into right and left lobes — the right is the largest, and occupies the right side, under the ribs. The left lobe lies partly over the stomach, in the other region. Its use is to secrete bile. 260 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. Fig 97. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 261 Explanation of Fig. 97. In this view of the abdomen, d, is the gall-bladder, lying on the under side of the liver, the dark mass to which it is attached : h is the coronary artery which supplies the stomach, a, b, c, with blood. The curve ot the stomach is well shown: e, e, the arteries which supply the cawl, marked i, i, which falls down from the front of the stomach, over the intestines, like an apron : g, a vessel of the liver. The pancreas is behind the stomach. GALL BLADDER. This is attached to the under side of the liver, shaped like a shot-pouch, and contains between one and two ounces of gall, which is carried to it, as a place of deposit, from the liver. A long slender pipe extends from it to the duodenum, the first portion of the intestines, into which it pours the bile. The use of the bile is to stimulate the intestines, in order to keep them at work. SPLEEN. Anatomists have not discovered the function of this organ. Generally, however, it is admitted to be essentially serviceable to the stomach. The color is red, somewhat like the liver, broad as the palm of the hand, and one or two inches thick. It is in contact with the stomach, in the left side. PANCREAS. Behind the stomach, lying directly across the spine, is the 'pancreas, a narrow gland, from eight to ten inches long, — which secretes a fluid analogous to the saliva. Through a duct, it is carried onward to be mixed with the bile in the intestine. It is regarded as an auxiliary to digestion. 262 ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. KIDNEYS. One of these glands is placed on each side, in the loins, near the spine, a little above the hips. From the trunk of the aorta, the great artery of the body, two large blanches are given off, nearly at right angles, to the kid- neys. A quantity of blood is therefore sent directly into them, from which the urine is separated, and afterwards forced through the ureters, two tubes the size of a writing quill, ten inches or more in length, into the under and back part of the bladder. The urine is separated from the blood by the extreme- ties of the arteries within the substance of the kidney. Having remained a while in the bladder, it excites a desire to void it, — an action effected chiefly by the muscular fibres of the bladder itself, assisted by the abdominal muscles. It is prevented from returning from the bladder to the-kidneys, by a valvular structure within, continually closed by the presence of the fluid against the valve. ANATOMICAL CLASS BOOK. 263 Fig. 98. ■