NATURAL THEOLOGY. 



83 



the spine to carry the head without a jar or injury of 



any kind. 



Fig. 11. 



The hitman spine, so named from a Latin word signifying thorn, 

 on account of the sharp processes, s, s, s, which project from 

 the bones, and form the outer ridge of the back, a, a, a ? 

 the cartilages, or plates o gristle, inserted between all the 

 vertebrae. It will be seen that in bending backward, the pro- 

 cesses will touch and prevent the motion ; also, that the 

 strongest processes are in the lowest division of the spine, 

 t^here the loins are situated, and where the motions of the 

 back are greatest. In the middle portion, between the verte- 

 brae B, B, it will be observed that the processes are almost 

 in contact with one another ; so that in this part the spine 

 hardly admits of any flexure. The ribs enclosing the heart, 

 lungs, &c., are attached to this portion of the spine, and con- 

 sequently, any considerable bending would here be unsafe. 

 In the upper division, the processes are again spread ; tki 

 being required for the flexibility of the neck. 



