^68 LAMENESS FROM RELAXED 



every other animal, are elaftic, until they have 

 loft the quality by a total lofs of moiflure ; it is 

 true indeed of elaftic bodies, that to ftretch 

 them, they require a mechanic force in propor- 

 tion to their fubftance, for which reafon there 

 is a greater appearance of elafticity in a fibre, 

 than in a large tendon compofed of fibres ; and 

 hence may have arifen the deception. That 

 the Tendo y^chilks in a Turkey is elaftic, almoft 

 every cook will vouch, and I can confirm their 

 report, from a frefli drawn one now lying 

 upon my table. I ftiall moreover avail niyfelf 

 of the high authority of Dr. Darwin ; fpeak- 

 ing of a limb, in coiivulfions, he fays fZoon, 

 Vol. II. p. 327) *' the tendon is feen to be 

 *' ftretched." 



To aflert that tendons are mere inirritable, 

 inert and torpid bodies, appears to me, not 

 only contrary to palpable experience, but a 

 wild and unnatural paradox ; fince in that ftate 

 they would be incapable of their proper mufcu- 

 lar fun61ions, and even fuperfluous and ufelefs, 

 but there feems a ftrange affeftion for paradox 

 in fome men, which arifes perhaps in certain 

 cafes, from their fuffering themfelves to be in- 

 variably guided by their own peculiar fenfa- 

 tions^ or from a confined view of things ; alfo 

 from defeftive attention to the idiofyncracy of 

 bodies. This laft is often a fource of cruelty. A 

 pertain gentleman who has lately written upon 



medical 



