THE BONY FRAMEWORK 37 



limbs apart to serve it in pieces. There may be the same 

 difficulty in separating the bones in a shoulder or leg of 

 mutton, because they are held firmly together by ligaments. 



59. Use of the Bones. Bones serve many useful pur- 

 poses. They preserve the general shape of the body. The 

 skeleton, as we have seen, is its framework, which gives 

 protection, leverage, and support to the soft and fleshy 

 parts of our bodies. 



Bones protect the soft organs of the body. The bones 

 of the head protect the soft and delicate brain. The 

 ribs inclose the heart and lungs in a large cage of bone. 



FIG. 29. Ligaments of the Foot and the Ankle. 



Passageways and little cavities are hollowed out of solid 

 bone to lodge and shield important organs. There are 

 grooves and canals in the bones which serve to receive 

 and protect tender organs, delicate nerves, and tiny blood 

 vessels. 



The surfaces of many bones are fitted with grooves, knobs, 

 and sharp edges to which muscles are fastened. This 

 arrangement of the muscles helps us to stand erect and 

 make the countless movements of the body with ease and 

 quickness. 



