Lessons on the Human Body. 133 



people. In such a lesson each part must be touched in 

 order to give the exercise needed. 



II. Joints. 



Having introduced the children to the various parts 

 of the outside of the body, the next step may be to ob- 

 serve how these parts are united. Thus it is excellent 

 exercise to take some joint, as the elbow. Give its name. 

 In how many directions can you bend it ? Try to bend the 

 forearm in other ways, holding the upper arm firmly while 

 you do it. Develop the likeness to the opening of a door, 

 trunk, blind, etc. These things open on hinges. Give me 

 a good name for the elbow-joint. A hinge-joint. Find 

 other joints of this kind. In like manner the various other 

 kinds of joints can be developed. How many hinge-joints 

 have you in each hand ? Fourteen. In each foot ? What 

 part of the hinge-joints in your body are found in the 

 hands ? Why are there no hinge-joints in your neck ? What 

 kind of a joint has the lower jaw where it is attached to the 

 skull ? Why is this hinge-joint loose ? So as to admit of a 

 side motion as well ? In order to chew the food. 



III. The Flesh and Blood. 



Lay your left hand upon the right upper arm and raise 

 the right forearm. What do you feel with your left hand ? 

 Why does it become larger and harder where you lift the 

 arm? Feel of the "calf" of the leg. How does the flesh 

 there compare with that about the face and neck ? Why ? 



Bring in a piece of lean beef and give each child a small 

 portion. What is its color, smell, texture ? Can you not 

 see the soft fibres in it ? This is flesh or muscle. Your flesh 

 is like this in color and texture. 



With a fine needle prick your hand so that a drop of 

 blood comes out. Describe the blood. If you have a 

 microscope, examine some to see the little circular cor- 

 puscles it contains. This is blood. It flows all through 

 the muscles in very fine tubes called capillaries. 



