58 THE PRINCIPLES OF MYODYNAMICS. 



the movable bone against the fixed bone as 

 long as the articular ligaments remain unbroken. 



(B.) It is also evident that the displacing 

 component of the weight is antagonized by the 

 articular ligaments that connect the movable 

 and the fixed bones : Hence the displacing 

 component of the weight is combined with the 

 resisting component of the weight and presses 

 the movable bone against the fixed bone as 

 long as the articular ligaments remain unbroken. 



(C.) A case might arise in which the entire 

 force of the muscles that span a joint would act 

 as a retentive force : for instance, when a weight 

 is lifted by the hand in nearly the direction of 

 the long axis of the fore-arm : in such a case 

 the entire force of the weight would be a dis- 

 placing force : and not only would the force of 

 the muscles co-operate with the articular lig- 

 aments, but the force of the weight would 

 antagonize the articular ligaments as well as the 

 force of the muscles, unless the lifting muscles 

 had the power to keep the weight from making 

 tension on the ligaments. 



(D.) A case might also arise in which the 



