236 DETAILED SYNTHESIS. 



The ghastly features it exhibits to timorous ignorance, 

 change their aspect as the intelligent mind learns to 

 admire the superhuman wisdom that organized and so 

 exquisitely adapted it to serve the wants of man. 

 Whether we regard the admirable properties of the 

 tissues of which it is constituted, or the manner in 

 which it is constructed and preserved, mended and 

 amended, or whether we regard the purposes to which 

 it is devoted, its use as a support to all the organs, a 

 protection to many, or as adapted to the production of 

 motion, from the sole of the foot to the crown of the 

 head, it is equally replete with edifying truths. 



SECTION H. 



Muscles : Contractility. 



438. THE EVIDENT ADAPTATION OF THE SKELETON 

 TO PRODUCE MOTION SUGGESTS the inquiry, What pro- 

 duces the motion of its parts ? 



439. It is PERTINENT that a description of the mus- 

 cles moving the skeleton should follow a description of 

 it, since nothing else antecedent is necessary to a correct 

 understanding of them; since some of them assist in the 

 action of other organs, as the muscles of the trunk-walls 

 in respiration, so that a description of them must precede 

 that of the contained organs ; and since other muscles 

 produce motion of or in other organs, and will be better 

 understood if those of the Skeleton are first described. 



440. MUSCLES ARE CONSTRUCTED of two parts, the 

 Sinewy and the Muscular or contractile. 



441. THE CONTRACTILE PART OF MUSCLES CONSTITUTES 

 what is called the lean meat of animals ; and though as 

 it is usually cut it does not seem to have any regular 

 arrangement, it is arranged in perfect order, as may be 

 seen by observing PI. 2. 



Subject of Section II. ? 488. What does -? 489. What ? 440. How -? 

 441. What does ? 



