186 THE MUSCLES. 



"For all ordinary dissection, it will be found most convenient to hold the scalpel 

 like a pen ; but for cleaning the fascia off muscles, and following out small nerves, it is 

 better to hold it reversed, so that the back of the knife may be against the tissue which 

 is to be preserved. In making the first incision through the skin of a limb, or in any 

 other position where a long incision is required, the knife may, with advantage, be held 

 under the hand, by which the wrist has more play, and the student has the opportunity 

 of practising a mode of holding the knife, which he will find very useful when operating 

 on the living body. 



" The forceps should be broad at the extremities and coarsely serrated, so that it may 

 retain a firm hold on small portions of tissue. It is very important that the forceps 

 should not be too strong in the spring, for in that case it becomes so fatiguing to the 

 hand that it is impossible to continue its use for any length of time. The forceps 

 should be held lightly between the thumb and the first and second fingers of the left 

 hand, which may be steadied by resting the little finger on a neighbouring part. 



" The chain-hooks should be strong, and bent in the direction of the thickness and 

 not of the breadth of the steel, as is sometimes done. These latter are very inferior, 

 being liable to be unbent under any considerable strain. Care should be taken that the 

 chains are firmly linked, and that the central ring is sufficiently stout to bear any force 

 that may be applied. The scissors should be large and strong, and it will be found 

 advantageous to have one curved pair, which is very useful in preparing the ligaments. 



" The student will do well to bear in mind that he will probably be called upon in 

 after life to operate on the living body, the only true preparation for which is careful 

 dissection ; he should therefore, as far as possible, conduct all his dissections as 

 methodically, and with as much care, as if operating on the living body. 



" The student should bear in mind that his manual labour is only a part of his duty, 

 and will be thrown away, unless he at the same time study the description of the part 

 upon which he is engaged; he should not, therefore, carry the dissection further than he 

 can learn the description on the same day, and at the subject, and should, if possible, 

 re-peruse the description in the evening, and always on the next morning, before 

 carrying the dissection any further.") 



CHAPTER II. 



THE MUSCLES OF MAMMALIA. 

 AETICLE I. MUSCLES OF THE TRUNK. 



SUBCUTANEOUS REGION. 



THIS only comprises a single muscle, the fleshy panniculus (panniculus 

 carnosus), destined to move the skin covering the trunk. Strictly speaking, 

 however, we may describe as dermal muscles all those which are attached to 

 the inner surface of the superficial integument the muscles of the face, for 

 example. 



Fleshy Panniculus. 



Preparation. Place the animal on its side, and carefully remove the skin, allowing 

 the cuticular muscle to remain on the subjacent muscles. 



Situation Form Extent. Situated on the inner surface of the skin cover- 

 ing the sides of the thorax and abdomen, the fleshy panniculus is an immense 

 broad muscle, irregularly triangular in shape, thin at its borders, and 

 thicker in the middle than elsewhere. 



The upper border corresponds to a curved line, convex superiorly, and 

 extending obliquely from the flank to the withers. The inferior border is 

 carried horizontally from the flank to the posterior border of the olecranian 

 mass of muscles, passing along the upper margin of the great pectoral 

 muscle, which it covers, and to which it adheres somewhat closely. The 



