of Animal Suhjlances. 329 
Dr. Hunter, in his reflections on cutting the 
fymphyfis of the pubis,* fays, Cf as to any pro¬ 
perty which living ligaments poflfefsof ftretching, 
under violence, permitting diflocations without 
laceration, I have long taught, that though a 
very general opinion, it feems not to have been 
founded in obfervation. Ligaments will not 
allow of diflocations in dead bodies without la¬ 
ceration ; and elaflicity to any degree either in 
ligaments or tendons, would ill agree with their 
ufe in living bodies, which is to keep the parts 
ftrongly together; and accordingly, fince this 
opinion has routed attention and examination, 
every cafe of a recent diflocation that I have 
known examined, has been found complicated 
with a laceration of the ligaments.” 
Mr. John Hunter, in his Chirurgical Leflures 
goes further, and lays, “ that a luxated bone not 
reduced, by prefling againft another bone, digs a 
cavity for itfelf, which gets cartilaginous edges 
and cartilage on all itsfurface; nay, a fynovial 
gland fecreting fynovia, and a new joint is fet up. 
In the fraCture of a bone, though the parts be 
thrown at fome diftance, a callus is formed, 
which unites them. It is agreeable to the fame 
uniformity of operation, that when a bone is 
broken, which v/as originally formed in a nidus 
of cartilage, the renovated bone alfo forms in 
cartilage; while a bone, originally formed in 
* Letter to Dr. Vaughan, p. 86. 
membrane, 
