The Croonian lecture on muscular motion, read at the Royal Society, November 13th and 20th, 1788.

  • Blane, Gilbert, Sir, 1749-1834.
Date:
1790
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Croonian lecture on muscular motion, read at the Royal Society, November 13th and 20th, 1788. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    the bones upon which they are intended to fo that the greater part of the force is expended in preffing one bone againfl another at the articulation, and only a fmall portion of it in making the flexures and extenflons ; fo as to produce the defired effed at the extre- mity. ' But thefe difadvantages are compenfated by certain conveniences,^ and if nature has endowed the mufcles with fufficient power for the purpofes of life, after making allowance for the wafte of force, there can be no reafon to find fault with her management. One of the principal advantages arifing from this diftribution of the mufcles, is the prefervation of the fliape of the members ; for un- lefs the mufcles and tendons had been pretty nearly in the diredion of the bones, they mufl: have pafled like bow-ftrings from one bone to another, in making the flexures of the joints.. and in aflions . In eftimatiiig the wafte of force, in confequence of the mecha- of percuffion, . , . , . ^. nical difadvantages before mentioned, we are to diftinguifti between thofe adions which confift in prelTure, and thofe which confift in percuffion ; for as the momentum of the latter depends on velocity, it is evident that there is a great advantage from the infertion of the tendon being near the centre of motion, as greater velocity, with lefs expence of contradion, will be thereby imparted to the extre- mity. The mufcles, for inftanee, which are attached to the olecra- non^ in performing thofe adions with the hand which require rub- bing, ad with a difadvantage, exadly in proportion to the inequa- lity of the diftance from their infertion to the joint of the elbow, and that from the fame joint to the hand. This is an ad of pref- fure. But in the cafe of percuffion, as in the adion of ufing a hammer, This compen- fated by pre- ferving the fhape of the parts,