THE 



ANATOMY OF THE HORSE 



CHAPTER XIII. 



CLASSIFICATION OP THE VARIOUS ORGANS, AND PHYSIOLOGY 

 OF THE SKELETON. 



Classification of the various Organs Structure of Bone Of the. 

 Skeleton in General The Artificial Skeleton Number of Bones 

 composing the Skeleton General Anatomy of the Spinal Column 

 Of the Head and Face Of the Hyoid Arch Of the Thoracic 

 Arch and Anterior Extremities Of the Pelvic Arch and Hind 

 Extremities Of the Tail Of the Fore and Hind Extremities 

 considered as Organs of Support and Locomotion. 



CLASSIFICATION OF THE VARIOUS ORGANS. 



THE BODY OF THE HORSE, like all the vertebrate animals, may 

 be considered as made up of several distinct apparatuses or systems. 

 Of these, the first is a machine composed of the bony SKELETON, 

 or framework, the various parts of which are united by JOINTS, 

 and moved by MUSCLES. Secondly, there are contained within 

 the thorax the organs which supply the whole body with the means 

 of nutrition in the form of blood, and purify this fluid. Thirdly, 

 in the abdomen are presented to view the important organs which 

 assimilate the food to the condition of the blood; while in the ad- 

 joining cavity, the pelvis, are the urinary and generative appara- 

 tuses. Fourthly, the nervous system may be considered, as com- 

 prising the grand centre of the mental faculties, and, also, as pre- 

 siding over and controlling the whole of the functions performed 

 by the several organs ; and fifthly, certain special organs, as, for 

 example, those of sense, and, likewise, the foot will complete the 

 circle. 



OF THE STRUCTURE OF BONE. 



THE BONES are composed of a tissue peculiar to them, enveloped 

 by a membrane, the periosteum. They contain a semi-fluid of a 



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