Ourselves, our food, and our physic / by Benjamin Ridge.

  • Ridge, Benjamin.
Date:
1877
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Ourselves, our food, and our physic / by Benjamin Ridge. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    19/222 (page 5)
    8 HEAliT, LUNGS, LIVER, NERVES. two first loin vertebra; long ducts from which, called ureters, descend into tho Bladder, which is situated in front of the pelvis before the rectum. In front of the back bone are the great blood-vessels of the heart, which convey the blood from and carry it back to that organ, which will be hereafter explained. All the organs of the abdomen are in apposition, so that there is no space between thorn, and all are kept so by the pressure of its walls, so that however fat or however thin a person may be, Nature pro- vides for this compactness. The Head.—The Cavity of the Head, or Skull, con tains the Brain, which consists of two distinct parts:—the large or reflecting portion is situated in the front, sides, and top, and is divided into two hemispheres; the smaller, or in- stinctive, brain is situated at tho back part of the skull. A continuation of brain matter, called spinal marrow, passes down the whole of the spinal column, each vertebra having a proper aperture to receive it, so that it has a continuous length. The brain has no blood-vessels of any size passing through it, but is covered with a network of them, the whole being protected by a very tough membranous covering. The volume of blood contained in this network is considerable. The Nerves are given off from the lower part of the brain, and supply all the senses, hence they are called tho sentient or feeling nerves. There aro others also of a distinc- tive character, called motor, or nerves which regulate motion. The spinal marrow also gives off its two classes of nerves, one of motion and one of sensation. The Arteries, Veins, and Capillaries. — The blood vessels aro named arteries and veins : the termination of one and tho beginning of the other is called a capillary; these traverse tho whole of tho body and every organ, and have their accompanying nerves: there are also other vessels, called the lymphatics, absorbents, and ladeals. TnE Membranes.—Those aro of two distinct kinds, and to which I would draw especial attention. First. The Mucous Membrane.—This lines the eyes, eye- lids, tho nose, tho mouth, the throat, and windpipe, and traverses all tho air-tubes of the lungs, also the gullet and all the intestines from tho mouth to the rectum. It lines the kidneys and bladder, as well as all passages, traverses the