236 SPINAL MARROW. 



The spinal marrow is a continuation of the sub- 

 stance of the brain which proceeds down the back- 

 bone. This forms a hollow column, made up of 

 twenty-four separate bones, which are strongly 

 bound together by cartilage, ligaments, and mus- 

 cles, within which the spinal marrow is safely 

 lodged. As it proceeds downwards, a pair of 

 nerves arises at every bone, one of them going to 

 the right, and one to the left. These supply the 

 various parts of the body as they branch and ramify 

 in every way. 



When any portion of the brain, or spinal mar- 

 row, is pressed upon or injured, the function or 

 office of the nerves which proceed from it is de- 

 stroyed, and the parts they supply lose motion and 

 feeling. It is to these organs, therefore, that we 

 owe all our sensations or feelings. 



The brain is also the seat of the mind, or of our 

 intellectual faculties ; and if it be oppressed or 

 diseased, we lose our consciousness, or sense of 

 being. Were it not for this organ, we should 

 not be sensible of any of the beauties of nature ; 

 and the whole world would be a blank. We 

 should know nothing of the light of day, the 

 warmth of the sun, the beauty of the night ; nor 

 would any of the sweet sounds which now delight 

 us ever meet the ear. 



Many parts of the animal creation appear to be 

 destitute of brain, and in none is the brain so per- 

 fectly made as in mankind. Our sphere of enjoy- 

 ment is therefore much greater than that enjoyed 



