S24 On the Use of the Sutures 



which only penetrate through one half of the 

 thinckness of the skull, and form an irregular 

 kind of dovetailing. 



Two advantages arise from this structure 

 being superficial and confined to the external 

 table of the skull. The projecting points from 

 each side, resting upon the solid surface of the 

 internal table of the opposite bone^ can resist 

 more effectually any violence, which might 

 tend to force the bones inwards ; and the in- 

 ternal part of the skull presents, by this means, 

 a smooth surface to the coverings of the brain ; 

 for internally no appearance of a jagged suture 

 is seen. 



From this view of the subject vv^e see, that 

 the sutures of the human skull, by their pe- 

 culiar formation, at once unite the bones 

 together, and so far separate them, as to allow 

 the interposition of a vascular organ by which 

 their superficies is gradually increased to its 

 greatest extent.^ This explanation of the use 



* Since this paper Wds written in the year \S6o, I have 

 found, that a similar opinion was published by Professor 

 Soemmerring in 1794, in his valuable work, " de corporis 

 Jiumani fabrica," To him, therefore, apy credit which may 

 belong to the primary suggestion of this use of the sutures 

 is due. As his opinion, however, has been little noticed by 

 anatomists generally, and is placed in a clearer point of 

 view by tlie facts which suggested this further explantion 



