66 



ANATOMY FOR NURSES 



[Chap. V 



COSTO-TRANS- 

 VERSE FORAMEN 



TRANSVERSE/.»- 

 PROCESS. 



Fig. 43. — The Atl.\8. Viewed from above. (Gerrish.) 



are often cleft in two, or bifid. The transverse processes are 

 pierced by a foramen for the passage of blood vessels and nerves. 

 The first and second cervical vertebrae differ considerably from 

 the rest. The first, or atlas, so named from supporting the head, 

 has practically no body, and may be described as a bony ring 

 divided into two sections by a transverse ligament. The dorsal 

 section of this ring contains the spinal cord, and the ventral or 

 front section contains the bony projection which arises from the 

 upper surface of the body of the second cervical vertebra, axis 

 (epistropheus). This bony projection, called the odontoid process, 

 forms a pivot, imd around this pivot the atlas rotates when the head 



is turned from side to 

 side, carrying the 

 skull, to which it 

 is firmly articulated, 

 with it. 



Thoracic vertebrae. 



ODONTOID PROCESS. 



ARTICULAR FACET 



FOR VENTRAL 

 ARCH OF ATLAS. 



SPINOUS PROCESS 



TRANSVERSE 

 PROCESS. 



Fig. 44. — The Axis (Epi.stkopheus). 

 side. (Gerrish.) 



Its right 



— The bodies of the 

 thoracic vertebrae are 

 larger and stronger 

 than those of the 

 cervical ; and have a facet or demi-facet for articulation with the 

 vertebral end of a rib. 



Lumbar vertebra'. — The bodies of the lumbar vertebrae are the 

 largest and heaviest in the whole spine. 



Structure of vertebral column. — The different vertebrae are 

 connected together (1) by means of the articular processes, (2) by 

 disks of intervertebral fibro-cartilage placed between the vertebral 

 bodies, and (3) by broad thin ligaments called the ligamenta 



