( 9 ° ) 
row have been continually liable to be injured ; or 
had the Cartilages been entirely wanting, it would 
have been as ufelefs as if it were but one Bone, where- 
by we being rendered uncapable of bending the Trunk 
of the Body, it mud have always remained in an eredt 
Podure. But by the prefent Difpofition of its Parts, 
’tis not only abfolutely fecured againd any fuch In- 
conveniencies, but, although fo fmall a Pillar as it is, 
is capable of fuppoiting, without Hazard, fuch pro- 
digious Weights, as we are not wanting in our Ac- 
counts of. 
Another Particular, which befpeaks the utmod Wif- 
dom and Defign in the Contrivance of this Parr, is the 
remarkable Difference there is in the thicknefs of the 
Cartilages, placed betwixt the Bones of the Spine ; the 
Vertebr~a of the Bread requiring but little Motion, 
the Cartilages are there but thin, in companion of 
thofe of the Loins, which being very thick, the low- 
ed more efpecially, the Motion is there vadly greater ; 
and the Cartilages being abundantly thicker before 
than behind, this is the Reafon that we bend our 
Bodies fo much more forward than backward. And 
by this admirable Method of difpofing of the thicker 
Parts of the Cartilages forward, it is, that in all vio- 
lent Exercifes, the Parts contained in the Belly and 
Bread are in a great meafure fecured from any Da- 
mages they might have been liable to, became by the 
pliablenefs and eladicity of thefe Cartilages, they 
break the violent Shocks the Vifcera mud otherwiie 
have necedarily fudain’d upon fuch Occafions. 
From what I have here remarked, in relation to 
thefe peculiar Properties of the Cartilages placed be- 
tween the Bones of the Spine, we may reafonably fup- 
pofe them to be certain compreffible, dilatable, ela- 
dick Bodies, which like other Bodies, endued with 
the 
