C 5*5 ] 
Thefe are obvious Refledions, and, perhaps, as old 
as the Infpedion of dead Bodies. But modern Ana- 
tomies have gone further: They have brought the 
Articulations, as well as the other Parts of the Body, 
under a narrow Inquiry, and entered into the minuted 
Parts of their Compofttion. The Bones have been 
traced Fibre after Fibre; but the Cartilages, as far as 
I can learn, have not hitherto been fufficiently ex- 
plained. After fome fruitlefs Attempts by macerat- 
ing and boiling the Cartilages in different Men fir ua , 
I fell upon the Method not only of bringing their 
fibrous Texture to View, but of tracing the Diredion 
and Arrangement of thofe Fibres. I fhall therefore 
endeavour to give a fhort Account of the Strudure 
of articulating Cartilages, and make a few Obferva- 
tions on their Difeafes, with a View to advance a 
rational Explication of their morbid ‘Phenomena. 
An articulating Cartilage is an elaftic Subfiance 
uniformly compad, of a white Colour, and fomewhar 
diaphanous, having a fmooth polifhed Surface covered 
with a Membrane; harder and more brittle than a 
Ligament, fofter and more pliable than a Bone. 
When an articulating Cartilage is well prepared, it 
feels foft, yields to the Touch, but reflores itfelf to 
its former Equality of Surface when the Preflure is 
taken off. This Surface, when viewed through a 
Glals, appears like a Piece of Velvet. If we en- 
deavour to peel the Cartilage off in Lamella , we 
find it impradicable ; but, if we ufe a certain degree 
of Force, it feparates from the Bone in frnall Parcels ; 
and we never find the Edge of the remaining Part 
oblique, but always perpendicular to the fubjacent 
Surface of the Bone. If we view this Edge through 
X x x 2 a 
