34 MAMMALIA — MAN. 



those of mastication. The stomach is simple, the intestinal canal of mode- 

 rate length, and the large intestines well marked. 



The vertebral column, or spine, is composed of thirty-two vertebrae, sever, 

 of which are denominated cervical, twelve dorsal, five lumbar, five sacral 

 and three coccygeal. Of the ribs, seven pairs are attached to the sternum, 

 or breast bone, by cartilaginous productions, and are called true ribs. 

 The other five pairs are called false ribs. The male of the human 

 species seldom exceeds six feet in height; the female is generally a few 

 inches less. 



At his birth, the infant is exposed to a new element, the air. What the 

 sensations are on the admission of this element into the lungs, it is impossi- 

 ble to guess ; but from the cries of the infant, we may conjecture 'that it is 

 attended with pain. The eyes of an infant are indeed open, but they are 

 dull, and appear to be unfitted for the performance of any office whatever ; 

 and their outward coat is wrinkled. The same reasoning will apply to 

 most of the other senses. It is not till after forty days that it begins to 

 smile ; nor is it till then that it begins to weep : its former sensations of 

 pain are unaccompanied with tears. The length of an infant, at birth, is 

 twenty-one inches, though some do not exceed fourteen ; and it generally 

 weighs eight, and sometimes fourteen pounds. The form of the body and 

 limbs of a new-born infant, are by no means perfect. Formerly, infants 

 as soon as born, were injudiciously and unnaturally laced with bandages ; 

 so that they were not able to move a single joint. Nations which we 

 call barbarous, act more rationally and more humanely in this respect. 

 The Siamese, the Indians, the Japanese, the negroes, the savages of Ame- 

 rica, lay their infants naked in hanging beds of cotton, or in cradles lined 

 with fur. 



The eyes of children always seek the light, and if only one eye be directed 

 to it, the other will probably become weak ; both eyes ought, therefore, to 

 be equally shaded or equally exposed. Squinting is commonly the effect 

 of injudicious treatment in this respect. 



In teething, the cutting of the first set generally commences about the 

 sixth or seventh month, and ends between the second and third year. The 

 order of cutting is generally as follows : — First, the two middle incisors, or 

 cutting teeth of the lower jaw ; then, after an interval of three or four weeks, 

 the upper corresponding incisors follow. The two canine, or stomach teeth 

 below, one on each side, next declare themselves ; and these are followed by 

 the eye teeth, in the upper jaw. Soon after, the two first molars, or grind- 

 ers, one on each side, succeed to the canine, in the lower jaw ; those above 

 them follow. After the lapse of from four to six years, four more grinders 

 are added in each jaw; these are permanent. At the age of puberty or 

 later, the denies sapientice, or wisdom teeth appear. 



The hair of most infants is exceedingly light, almost white. The body, 

 during infancy, is said (perhaps erroneously) to be less sensible of cold than 



