174 OF THE PANNICULUS CARNOSUS. 



OF THE PANNICULUS CARNOSUS, OR SUBCUTANEOUS MUSCLE. 



Providence having denied hands to horses, has given 

 them, instead thereof, a cutaneous muscle ; which having an 

 intimate attachment to the integument, and being extended 

 nearly over the whole body, enables them to corrugate the 

 skin ; thus to shake off dust, and perform other purposes 

 necessary for their convenience. In the mammalia with 

 short hair, it is, by the extent of its attachments, capable 

 of very powerful and diffused operations. Its centres are 

 usually muscular, and its terminal attachments often apo- 

 neurotic ; by which, as either or any of these become the 

 fixed point, the action of the whole may be changed at 

 pleasure. On the head and face this muscular expan- 

 sion wall be found thin, but strong ; being there called the 

 retractor anglioris, it extends over the cheek, stretches 

 itself downwards to the lips, and loses itself in the labial 

 investments. It is entirely wanting upon the forehead, 

 which is in a measure protected by the forelock. On the 

 inferior portion of the neck it is evidently muscular ; being 

 strongly developed over the windpipe, but deficient in 

 those parts to which the mane might, in a state of nature, 

 be thought a protection. 



The panniculus carnosus of the body extends from the 

 anterior edge of the scapula, and downwards to the upper 

 part of the arm ; but is continued lower by the union of 

 its aponeurotic expansion, which carries the corrugating 

 action along the leg. In proceeding over the sides of 

 the trunk, it may be said to be truly fleshy ; but the 

 attachments it sends upwards to the spine are most of 

 them semi-tendinous ; as those it sends downwards to the 

 median line of- the abdomen are principally aponeurotic. 

 In the region of the flank it radiates, but is continued by a 

 strong aponeurotic expansion into the groin, partly covering 

 the penis ; and is then continued inwards, to unite with the 

 fascia of the inside of the thigh. Posteriorly it becomes 

 much stronger, ultimately blending with the fascia lata. 

 It is almost wanting upon the haunches, a part which the 

 tail was obviously designed to protect. The fleshy pannicle 

 is very plentifully supplied throughout with nerves ; dis- 

 tributed to it in very considerable branches, and many of 



