482 



MUSCLES OF THE HAND. 



straightened by others that lie along its back. These termi- 

 nate in long tendons, which are bound down at the wrist by 

 a fibrous band that stretches between the bony projections on 



either side, and is termed 

 the annular (or ring-like) 

 ligament (fig. 228). The 

 tendons then spread asunder 

 in the hand, and pass-on to 

 be inserted into the bones 

 of the several fingers, being 

 reinforced by a set of small 

 muscles that arise from the 

 hand itself. 



642. When we consider 

 the superior extremity of 

 Man as a whole, we remark 

 that the several levers which 

 are joined end-to-end to form 

 it, diminish progressively in 

 length. Thus the arm is 

 longer than the fore-arm; 

 the latter is longer than the 

 wrist ; and each of the pha- 



Fig. 228. MUSCLES OP THE PALM OF THE , 



HAND (SUPERFICIAL LAYER) lailgCS IS longer than the 



1, anterior annular ligament of the carpus; one which SUCCCeds it. The 

 2, 2, extremities of the short abductor of f ,-1 -> rrn-m n-n4- 



the thumb, the intermediate body of the purpose of this arrangement 



muscle having been removed; 3, opposing ig very evident. The nume- 

 muscle of the thumb; 4, short flexor of . J . . . -,, 



the thumb; 5, adductor of the thumb ; 6, roUS joints, in the neighDOUr- 



lower border of the same muscle; 7, 7, "U^^rl n f oar>Ti nfhpr wliiph 



lumbricales; 8, one of the tendons of the h 0(i Ol eacn Otner > Wm 



deep flexor of the fingers, passing-on to we S66 towards the extremity 

 insert itself in the bone of the third pha- f ,, i- "U ^ ^U Uc, O^TTQT-Q! 



lanx, after perforating the tendon of the of the limb, permit its Several 



superficial flexor ; 9, tendon of the long portions to change their place 



flexor of the thumb; 10, adductor of the f 



little finger; 11, short flexor of the little in VariOUS Ways, SO as to aC- 



themselves to 



the form of the body which 

 it is desired to grasp ; whilst the long levers formed by the 

 arm and fore-arm, allow the place of the entire hand to be 

 rapidly changed to a considerable extent. It is principally 

 by the movements of the humerus upon the scapula, that 

 the direction of the limb is given ; the bending or straight- 

 ening of the limb regulates its length; whilst the move- 



