The Minoan and Mycenaean element in Hellenic life / [Sir Arthur Evans].
- Evans, Arthur, Sir, 1851-1941.
- Date:
- 1914
Licence: In copyright
Credit: The Minoan and Mycenaean element in Hellenic life / [Sir Arthur Evans]. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![fixed just below in the front of each femur, is a band of fibres, not muscle, so strong that nothing can break or stretch it. If we stand quite erect the whole strain is thrown off the muscles on to these powerful bands, which, when put to the full stretch, just allow the legs- and body to extend in a straight line, but not more; so that the body by this means is balanced on the legs without fatigue. Those who have not learned to stand thus, soon tire. The spine, being firmly fixed into the hip- bones, is first bent forward, to throw the weight of the heaviest part to the front, and then, as the weight gets lighter, it bends backwards between the shoulders, and forwards again in the neck, there being no joint that can double up between the hip and the neck. At the neck a good deal of the strain of keeping the head erect is taken off by an elastic ligament like a strong indiarubber band, which passes from the occiput to the spine, and so keeps the head erect without appreciable effort. Horses which have a long neck, and a heavy head to hold up at the end of it, have a similar band of immense thickness running from the head along under the mane to the shoulder. The human body, then, tends to fall back- wards below, and forwards above; that is, there is less support for it behind at the heels than foiTvards at the toes ; so the ankle, knee, and hip would all fold backwards if they could, while the head would drop forwards on to the chest when the muscles are relaxed, as in sleep. Arrangement to Preserve the Brain from Shock. Before leaving this subject the contrivances to preserve the brain from shock are worth noticing. Passing from above downwards, we notice first that the brain itself IS saved froin all jars by not touching the base of the skull, but floating on a sort of water-bed. In the second place the spinal column is a double curve, forming a double spring, thus breaking shocks ; and, thirdly, the pad of cartilage inserted between each pair of vertebraj breaks all jars travelling up the bones. Fourthly, at the fourth pair the base of the spine is wedged into the pelvic arch. In this case the keystone is inserted between the two side bones, upside down, so that the broadest part of the sacrum looks downward and fonvards, and the narrow end points backwards and upwards. It is thus slung between the bones in such a way, like a carriage hung on “ C ” springs, that every jar upwards or pressure downwards tends to separate the keystone from the arch instead of jamming the bones together, and so reduce the shock. The fijth contrivance is that the head of the femur is at right angles to the shaft, which alone reduces the force of shock one half. The sixth is the slant of the femur to the middle line ; and the seventh is at the knee, where we have between the bones two strong pads of cartilage to prevent all jarring. The eighth is the keystone which forms the instep of the foot. In this case it is set in the usual way, with the broad end uppermost, and the narrow end below resting on a stout band of fibres, which breaks all jar. The ninth and last is in the foot, where the I hinder pier of the arch comes straight down I to the ground, and is formed of one bone, called the heel; but the front pier slopes very gradually, like a spring, and is composed of twenty-four bones. Thus, we get in the foot-arch solidity behind and elasticity in front [6, page 101]. Walking, The movement of the body from place to place is the result of combined action of many muscles. In the act of walking the muscles of the arm should be entirely relaxed, as they are not required in any way, and the arms should be left to hang naturally. In starting to walk, say, with the right leg, the muscles of the calf raise the heel from the ground, while the muscles in front of the ab- domen pull the body a little forward, still further raising the right heel. When the body is inclined forward to a certain extent, it would fall over were it not for the next act, which consists in allowing the left leg to move forwards to support it. This is done jjartly by a pendu- lum-like swing, and partly by a forward pull of the muscles in front of the thigh. The left leg is now in front of the body, and the balance is restored ; but the right leg has not ceased to act yet. It continues to push the body still further forwards while the muscles in front' of the trunk stiU pull it over, until it is in ad- vance of the left leg, thus raising the right leg off the ground and allowing it to swing forwards in its turn. Walking thus depends on pushing upwards with the leg and pulling for- wards with the front of the trunk. As the body is supported alternately on each leg, it is inclined a little from side to side, so as to throw the weight fuUy on it, and prevent falling over .sideways. Thus the body in walking is con- tinually rising and falling, and swaying slightly from side and side. Jumping, Running, and Hopping. Jumping consists in a spring off the ground. Caused by the sudden contraction of both calves forcing the toes so violently agaipst the ground that the body is jerked into the air. Running is a series of short jumps with each leg alternately, so that both feet are constantly off the ground at the same time. The body is inclined still more forward than in walking. Hopping consists in a jumping on one leg, caused by the most violent contraction of the muscles of the calf of which they are capable. We may, in conclusion, note that movement is by no means a necessary sign of strength. Babies move all their muscles a great deal, and often without much reason, because their minds have not yet got much control to quiet their movements, but the older and stronger a person gets, the less he moves excepting when he wants to do so, because he has all his muscles under control. To keej} constantly moving, therefore, does not show that we are strong, but may indicate that the brain power is weak. In the locomotor, as in all other systems of the body, there are control centres that prevent unnecessary or excessive action, and tend to promote a steady, healthy condition. A. T. SCHOFIELD](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24878959_0059.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
