TNTEODUCTORY 41 



body is termed the proximal end; the end furthest removed from the 

 attachment of the limb to the body is termed the distal end. 



The arm and thigh bones have anterior, posterior, inner, and outer 

 sides. The outer side of the forearm and hand, however, is termed 

 radial; the radius is always situated on that side; and the inner side 

 is termed ulnar. The back of the hand is its dorsum, or dorsal side; 

 the palm is its palmar side. 



In the hind limb the outer side of the leg bones is termed fibular, 

 and the inner side is termed tibial. The foot also has a dorsal side, 

 and the sole is its plantar side. Thus, one of the small bones of 

 the middle of the foot has six sides, termed proximal, distal, dorsal, 

 plantar, tibial, and fibular, respectively, and no change in the position 

 of the foot can produce confusion in the description of the individual 

 bone. 



In the following descriptions of bones a special endeavor has been 

 made to write plainly and to employ, as far as possible, words in every- 

 day use. For the sake of brevity a few terms common in Descriptive 

 Zoology have been introduced; for example, sinuate, like a waving 

 line ; emarginate, notched or incised, when applied to a border having 

 an incurvature ; arcuate, arched or bow-like. 



The student, having gained a general idea of the skeleton and of 

 the terms used in description, and, moreover, being provided with the 

 bones themselves, needs, before beginning practical study, only a few 

 words, by way of guidance, in the use of this book. 



In the first place, although to some Osteology may appear to be an 

 uninteresting study, it should be constantly borne in mind that it is 

 the foundation of anatomy, inasmuch as the skeleton gives general 

 form to the body, serves for the attachment of most of the muscles, 

 and furnishes the fixed points for the other systems. Indeed, most 

 of the names of muscles, blood-vessels, and nerves are derived from 

 the names of related bones. As there is no royal road to learning and 

 no way has been yet discovered by which students can get a permanent 

 knowledge of anatomical facts save by observing them, every point 

 presented in the description must be carefully verified, bone in hand. 

 Little can be gained by merely reading the text and examining the 

 illustrations. The illustrations are introduced simply in order that the 

 student may find at once the feature described, and thus avoid mistakes 



