204 BONES, JOINTS, MUSCLES. 



LESSON III. 



ORGANS OF SUPPORT AND MOTION BONES 



JOINTS MUSCLES. 



CERTAIN parts of our bodies are very hard and 

 firm ; these are called bones, and consist, in a 

 great measure, of earthy matter. When these are 

 jointed, or articulated together, they form the 

 skeleton. 



The form and make of the skeleton are beauti- 

 fully perfect, and Jit ted to our system with the 

 most surprising art ; so far is the skeleton from 

 being a thing to cause terror, that the more we 

 examine it, the more we admire it. 



The bones form the frame work of the body, on 

 which the soft parts are arranged and supported. 

 They are held together by means of ligaments, 

 which are strong, whitish bands, crossing from one 

 bone to another, and commonly called gristle. 



The ends of the bone, where they meet, are co- 

 vered with a substance somewhat like gristle, called 

 cartilage. This is very elastic, or springy, and 

 preserves them from being injured by the shocks 

 and motions of our bodies. That they may move 

 easily one upon another, they are furnished with 

 glandular bodies, which keep them constantly 

 smooth by means of an oily fluid. The places 

 where bones meet are called joints, as the shoulder- 



