THE 



ANATOMY OP THE HORSE 



CHAPTER XIII. 



CLASSIFICATION OP THE VARIOUS ORGANS, AND PHYSIOLOGY 

 OP THE SKELETON. 



Classification of the various Organs — Structure of Bone — Of the 

 Skeleton in General — The Artificial Skeleton — Number of Bones 

 composing the Skeleton — General Anatomy oj the Spinal Column 

 — Of the Head and Face — OJ the Hyoid Arch — OJ the Thoracic 

 Arch and Anterior Extremities — Of the Pelvic Arch and Hind 

 Extremities — OJ the Tail — OJ the Fore and Hind Extremities 

 considered as Organs oJ Support and Locomotion. 



CLASSIFICATION OF THE VARIOUS ORGANS. 



The body of the Horse, like all the vertebrate animals, may 

 be considered as made up of several distinct apparatuses or systems. 

 Of these, the jirU is a machine composed of the bony skeleton, 

 or framework, the various parts of which are united by joints, 

 and moved by muscles. Secondlij^ there are contained within 

 the thorax the organs which supply the whole body with the means 

 of nutrition in the form of blood, and purify this fluid. Thirdly, 

 in the abdomen are presented to view the important organs which 

 assimilate the food to the condition of the blood; while in the ad- 

 joining cavity, the pelvis, are the urinary and generative appara- 

 tuses. Fourthly^ the nervous system may be considered, as com- 

 prising the grand centre of the mental fticulties, and, also, as pre- 

 siding over and controlling the whole of the functions performed 

 by the several organs ; and fifthly^ certain special organs, as, for 

 example, those of sense, and, likewise, the foot will complete the 

 circle. 



OF THE STRUCTURE OF BONE. 



The bones are composed of a tissue peculiar to them, enveloped 

 by a membrane, the periosteum. They contain a semi-fluid of a 



