( 9 1 ) 
the fame Qualities, will naturally yield to any incum- 
bent Weight, which is fufficient to force the Particles 
of Matter of which they confid, into a more drift 
and clofe Union, and that when this compredive 
Power is removed, they will of themfelves recover 
that State they enjoyed before they were obli- 
ged to give Way to that PrdTure. Now I am 
here particularly to obferve, that the lowed of all the 
Cartilages of the Loins, is the thicked, and fo confe- 
quently that it contains a greater Quantity of Matter 
than any of the red ; by which means it becomes more 
difpofed to have its thicknefs diminifhed, and that all 
of them gradually become thinner, even to the top of 
the Spine. Now all fuperiour Bodies, if they come to 
an immediate Contaft, preffing upon their inferiour, it 
mud necedarily follow, that the whole Weight of the 
Body, except the lower Limbs, mud prefs upon and 
be fudained by the lowed Vertebra and their Carti- 
lages ; but thefe Cartilages, as has been obferved, be- 
ing much thicker in this Part than the other, and the 
incumbent Weight bearing harder upon them, they 
mud be unavoidably comprefs’d more than the other ; 
and fo, confequently, when this Weight is removed, 
their Expanfion, from their natural Eladicity, will be 
greater alio. 
This being the natural State and Difpofition of thefe 
Parts, during the whole fpace of Time weareufually 
employed about our necedary Avocations till we dii- 
pofe our lelves to Red, the Cartilages of the Spine 
will, by their compredible and yielding Properties, be- 
come more clofe and compaft from the perpendicular 
Preffure they fudain, and fo confequently the Spine, 
the only fupport of the Trunk ofthe Body, will become 
diorter. But when this fuperiour Weight ffiall be entire- 
ly removed, by placing the Body in a horizontal Po- 
dure, 
