THE MUSCLES, 



81 



great toe by two.tendons. Use To bend the first joint of the great 

 toe. 



Mductor pollicis pedis arises from the inner and lower part of the 

 os calcis. Inserted into the first joint of the great toe. Use To 

 move the great toe from the rest. 



Mductor pollicis pedis arises from the ligament extended from 

 the os calcis to the os cuboides. Inserted into the outer sesa- 

 moid bone, or first joint of the great toe. Use To draw the great 

 toe nearer to the rest, and to bend it. 



Abductor minimi digiti pedis arises from the tubes of the os calcis, 

 and metatarsal bone of the little toe. Inserted into the first joint 

 of the little toe externally'. Use To draw the little toe outwards. 



Flexor brevis minimi digiti pedis arises from the root of the meta- 

 tarsal bone of the little toe. Inserted into the root of the first bone 

 of the little toe. Use To bend the little toe. 



Transversalis pedis arises from the ligament connecting the bones 

 of the tarsus. Inserted into the tendon of the abductor pollicis. 

 Use To contract the foot. 



Inter ossei pedis inter ni and inter ossei pedis externi arise and are 

 inserted between the metatarsal bones. Use To draw the smaller 

 towards the great toe, and assist in extending the toes. 



PHYSIOLOGICAL INFERENCES. 



Having treated of the structure and use of muscles, I will now 

 draw a few practical inferences. And first, we see, in relation to 

 this part of the system, the same law as in other parts, which is the 

 necessity of exercising them, in order to secure their healthy tone 

 and use ; if this be omitted they become enfeebled and incapable 

 of exciting that force for which they are naturally designed. 

 For instance, let a person cease to labor for a period, and how soon 

 does his strength decline, and he is rendered incapable of lifting 

 much weight or performing much manual labor. His muscular 

 powers are impaired and he can exert but very little strength ; 

 nor can he continue that strength but a very short time. On the 

 other hand, if a person is feeble, yet begins to use one or more of 

 his muscles moderately and perseveringly, they become more and 

 more vigorous, till ultimately a prodigious power is acquired. To 

 illustrate this, I will mention but a single fact. A relative of mine, 

 quite feeble before he began to labor, took hold of a lever and 

 turned a screw with facility, which I could not' even move. I had 

 not exercised my muscular power for years, or scarcely at all, while 



