TERMS USED IN THE DESCRIPTION OF BONES AND JOINTS. 53 



Gomphosis, when one bone is fixed in another like a nail in a 



board, as the teeth in their sockets. 

 Shindi/lesis, when the thin edge of one bone is received into a 



narrow furrow of another, as the nasal plate of the ethmoid 



in the vomer. 

 DiARTiiROsis is the name of that kind of articulation which 



admits of motion. Of these articulations there are three 



species, viz. 

 Enarthrosis, when a large head is received in a deep cavity, as 



the head of the thigh bone in the acetabulum. 

 Arihrodia, when the head is connected with a superficial 



cavity. 

 Ginglimus, when the extremities of bones apply to each other 



so as to form a hinge. 



But most of the important joints have so many peculiarities 

 that they cannot be understood without studying them sepa- 

 rately. It may, therefore, be doubted whether the classification 

 and arrangement of joints is any way necessary. 

 — Some of the more common anatomical terms are explained 

 in this place and in the glossary ; but they have now become 

 too numerous, in consequence of the introduction of a multitude 

 of new ones, some of which are of foreign origin, to be sepa- 

 rately defined in this work. A medical dictionary will better 

 serve the purposes of the student. That of Prof. Dunglison,*" 

 will be found the most comprehensive and useful. 



* Medical Lexicon — A new Diet, of Med. Science. 3d edit, by Robley Dun- 

 glison, M. D., Prof. Inst. Med., itc, in Jeff. Med. Coll. Lea & Blanchard. 

 Phil. 1842. 



5* 



