PHYSIOLOGY PRACTICUMS. 



PART I. 



PRACTICUM I : THE CAT : ITS FORM AND CERTAIN PARTS OF 

 ITS STRUCTURE. 



PLATES REQUIRED : I IV. 



i. Comparison of the Cat with Man. At one of the earlier lec- 

 tures of the course the cat's form, attitude and mode of progression, and 

 the main features of its skeleton, were compared with those of man. Ex- 

 amine the mounted skeleton. Manipulate the specimen. Press upon the 

 regions where bony prominences exist. Move the limbs as wholes and at 

 their joints. Verify the statements made at the lecture and note addi- 

 tional points of resemblance and difference if possible. 



a. The preserved specimen is less well-adapted for these topographic observations 

 than the freshly-killed animal. Still more may be learned from the living cat, provided 

 it and the observer are on such confidential terms as to permit unrestricted manipulation. 



2. The Leg. Recognize the three JOINTS, proximal, the HIP, 

 distal, the ANKLE, and intermediate, the KNEE, demarcating as many 

 segments, viz, the THIGH with its single bone, FEMUR ; the LEG proper 

 (sometimes called cms] with its two bones TIBIA and FIBULA, and the FOOT 

 (pes) composed of several small bones. 



3. One or both of the heels should retain a piece of the tendo 

 Achillis, seen on the right in Fig. i. Also at the knee should be retained 

 the PATELLA or u knee-pan" (PL I and Fig. i) a movable bone attached 

 by a strong ligament to the head of the tibia, and giving insertion to the 

 muscles on the "front" of the thigh. 



4. At the sides of the left patella cut carefully into the knee joint. 

 Then cut transversely so as to separate the leg proper from the thigh. 

 Note that the apposed ends of the femur and tibia present a bluish white cov- 

 ering of CARTILAGE (gristle). This forms an elastic cushion like a buffer, 

 to lessen the shock in moving and especially in alighting from a height. 



a. Shave off a thin slice of cartilage ; hold it to the light and note 

 its transl licence. 



b. In a freshly killed animal the interior of the joints would present 

 a moist surface due to the SYNOVIA secreted by the lining membrane. 



5. Removing the Thigh. a. Move the left thigh to and fro so as 

 to indicate where its bone, the FEMUR, joins the pelvis. On PI. I observe 



