226 



ANATOMY. 



others, which proceed in all directions. The bones 

 of the wrist assist in forming the hand, and are, 

 by most anatomists, included under the same divi- 

 sion. These eight bones have a gentle motion on 

 each other, and on the ringers, ami also admit of a 

 very limited motion in every direction with the 

 bones of the arm, and give attachment to ten 

 muscles. 



The Metacarpus, or bones of the palm of the 

 hand, are placed between the carpus and fingers, 

 and are four long rounded bones ; although some 

 anatomists, including the first bone of the thumb, 

 reckon five metacarpal bones. The upper ends of 

 all these bones have plane surfaces to unite with the 

 \vri>t, and where they are contiguous to each other, 

 they have aUo rtat articular surfaces, and their 

 lower ends articulate with the fingers by convex 

 heads to allow of a free motion, in every direction 

 having a lateral motion, as well as that of tlexion 

 and extension. They form the middle part of the 

 hand, and have not fewer than eleven muscles at- 

 tached to them. 



The Diyiti Maims, or fingers, the situation and 

 number of which, it is unnecessary to state, con- 

 sist of twelve bones, arranged in three rows, termed 

 Phalanges digitorum ; they are round on the back, 

 but lint, and somewhat concave in front; and there 

 are eighteen muscles attached to the finger bones. 

 The bones of the thumb are three, and very much 

 resemble the bones of the fingers, but as the thumb 

 is the antagonist of the fingers, it is much thicker 

 and stronger, and the first bone is connected by a 

 double articular surface to the trapezium, and there 

 are three muscles attached to the thumb. Those 

 who wish to study the wonderful mechanism of the 

 hand and wrist, will derive much pleasure, and a 

 vast portion of interesting information, by consult- 

 ing Sir C. Bell's Bridgewater Treatise. We can- 

 not, however, resist observing, that although it 

 would seem superfluous to enumerate the uses of 

 the hand and fingers, as the instrument of defence, 

 labour, &c. yet that as one part has a very ob- 

 scure motion, and serves as the base for the other, 

 which performs the chief of the motions, a few 

 remarks appear to be called for. We find, in the 

 first place, that the carpus, or wrist, being composed 

 of many small bones, yields a little to our force 

 and accommodates itself to the different motions of 

 the hand, while the metacarpus, by being composed 

 of several bones, enables us to form a hollow on 

 the palm of the hand, while the space between 

 them serves for the lodgement of the muscles. 

 Each finger, too, being composed of three bones, 

 enables us to grasp and perform several motions, 

 which could not be effected were it in one bone. 

 Finally, the general convexity of the bones of the 

 hand strengthens the whole considerably, while the 

 hollow on the inside affords a passage to vessels 

 and nerves, and contributes to other conveniences 

 which we dare not now attempt to enumerate. 



VASCULAK SYSTEM. This system, a description 

 of which is sometimes called Angiology, or doc- 

 trine of the vessels, consists of long membranous 

 canals, or vessels, and ducts, which convey blood, 

 lymph, chyle, or a secreted fluid through every part 

 of the body, and indeed, except the epidermis or 

 scarf skin, the membrana arachnoidea, (or net-like 

 membrane, which is situated between the dura 

 and pia mater, and which surrounds the cerebrum, 

 cerebellum, medulla oblongata, and the spinal cord) 

 and nails, every part of the body has vessels which 

 injections demonstrate, and these vessels are di- 



vided into arteries, veins, absorbents, and excretory 

 ducts. For a more particular account of the ar- 

 terial and venous systems, see Heart and Ulood-ves- 

 sels in Encyclopedia ; and for Absorbents, see Lym- 

 phatics, in Supplement. 



The NERVOUS SYSTEM. In a short anatomical 

 sketch like this, it is impossible to do any thing 

 like justice to the nervous system, which certainly, 

 as Sir C. Bell terms it, is " the highest depart- 

 ment of anatomical and physiological study." It is 



now, too, one branch of those sciences which has, 



by the industry, zeal, and talent, of our distin- 

 guished countryman just quoted, and another 

 countryman and relation of Sir Charles', Mr Shaw, 

 with Messrs. Mayo, and Newport, and Dr Hall, 

 of London, M. Magendie, of Paris, Dr Graves, 

 of Dublin, and others, experienced a complete 

 revolution in the course of only a few years, so 

 as to render any attempt at even a bird's eye 

 view of the truly interesting discoveries made 

 chiefly by Sir C. Bell, altogether impossible in the 

 limits this article is permitted to occupy. Much, 

 however, that is important, will be found in tlie 

 articles Nerves, Brain, &c. in the Encyclopedia, 

 and Nervous System in the Supplement 



The Mucous, SEROUS, and GLANDULAR SYSTEMS. 

 As it would be foreign to the nature of this article, 

 to enter into any thing like an anatomical description 

 of the extensive mucous tissues which line the diffe- 

 rent cavities of the body, or the almost equally 

 extensive serow tissues, these tissues, as also the 

 glandular system, will be found described under 

 their respective designations, in the Supplement. 



ADIPOSE AND CELLULAR SYSTEMS. We have 

 classed these together, as they have by some, 

 although without a shadow of truth, been consi- 

 dered as one; still, however, they are very intimately 

 connected. The cellular substance, or texture, is 

 the most extensive in its distribution of any in 

 the machine, as it is found in almost every organ 

 of the body, and forms a part of almost every or- 

 gan. It is composed of laminae, and fibrous texture, 

 so as to form cells, and a web-like structure, and 

 from its very extensive distribution and the free 

 communication of its cells, when it is distended, 

 air, or thin fluids, may be made to pass through 

 it, from one region of the body almost to any 

 other, and this is exemplified even in the living 

 body, in the diseases called emphysema, or windy 

 dropsy, and anasarca, or general watery dropsy, 

 and is also well shown in dead animals, by butchers 

 blowing up their veal and mutton, and distending 

 the cells with air. 



Before proceeding to a consideration of the last 

 division of our subject, or placing over the machine 

 a dermoid covering, we shall simply enumerate the 

 internal viscera or contents of the four great cavi- 

 ties of the head, chest, abdomen, or belly, and the 

 pelvis ; referring, for the anatomical descriptions, 

 to the English names of the several viscera in 

 the alphabetical arrangement in the Encyclopedia 

 and this Supplement. We may at the same time 

 observe, that some interesting information respect- 

 ing the stomach, liver, &c. and the other chylo- 

 poetic viscera, as they are sometimes called, will be 

 found in the articles Digestion, Dyspepsia, and 

 other documents referred to in those articles. 



The head and face, or in other words, all those 

 internal cavities, osseous and fleshy, or hard and 

 soft, which rest upon the atlas, or first vertebra of 

 the neck, contain the brain, with its nerves, 

 blood vessels, absorbents, glands, and coverings ; 



