88 



MUSCLES OF THE HAND. 



Abductor minimi digiti maniis,^^ — Origin^ from the pisiform 

 bone, and annular ligament. Insertion^ into the ulnar side of the 

 base of the first phalanx of the little finger. Use; it draws the 

 little finger from the rest. 



Flexor 'parvus minimi digiti.^^ — Origin, from the unciform pro- 

 cess of the unciform bone, and annular ligament. Insertion, into 

 the ulnar side of the base of the first phalanx of the little finger. 

 Use; it bends the little finger. 



Adductor metacarpi 7?ii?iimi digiti. — Orighi, from the unciform 

 process and annular ligament. Insertion, into the metacarpal bone 

 of the little finger, from its base to its head. Use; it brings the 

 metacarpal bone towards the wrist. 



Interosseous tnuscles. — These are seven in number; three of which 

 are on the palmar side, and four on the dorsal side. The palmar 

 interossei are adductors, the dorsal are abductors. 



Fig. 70. 



The palmar interosseous muscles. (Fig. 69.) — These arise from the 

 base of the metacarpal bone of one finger, and are inserted into the 

 base of the first phalanx of the same finger. The first belongs to 

 the index finger,* the second to the ring finger,^ and the third to the 

 little finger.^ 



Thedorsal interosseous are penniform, arising by two heads from ad- 

 joining sides of the metacarpal bones. (Fig. 70.) They are inserted 

 into the bases of the first phalanges ; the first into the index finger,* 

 the second and third into the middle finger,^ ^ compensating its exclu- 

 sion from the palmar group ; the fourth into the ring finger.* 



The diversified and confused description of these muscles by dif- 

 ferent authors, is owing to the use of terms that are not significant, 

 a want of proper classification, and the dividing of one muscle in 

 two ; thus, some enumerate four palmar and three dorsal interossei, 



