A Treatise on Domestic Economy; For the Use of Young Ladies at Home and at SchoolBeecher, Catharine Esther
General
A Treatise on Domestic Economy; For the Use of Young Ladies at Home and at School
Beecher, Catharine Esther
Home economics
The figure on page 74, represents the muscles of the arm, as they appear
when the skin and fat are removed. The muscles _a_ and _b_ are attached,
at their upper ends, to the bone of the arm, and by their lower ends to
the upper part of the fore arm, near the elbow joint. When the fibres of
these muscles contract, the middle part of them grows larger, and the
arm is bent at the elbow. The muscle _c_, is, in like manner, fastened,
by its upper end, to the shoulder blade and the upper part of the arm,
and by its lower end to one of the bones of the fore arm, near the
elbow. When the arm is bent, and we wish to straighten it, it is done by
contracting this muscle. The muscles _d_, _d_, are fastened at one end
near the elbow joint, and at the other near the ends of the fingers; and
on the back of the hand are reduced in size, appearing like strong
cords. These cords are called _tendons_. They are employed in
straightening the fingers, when the hand is shut. These tendons are
confined by the ligament or band, _e_, which binds them down, around the
wrist, and thus enables them to act more efficiently, and secures beauty
of form to the limb. The muscles at _f_, are those which enable us to
turn the hand and arm outward. Every different motion of the arm has one
muscle to produce it, and another to restore the limb to its natural
position. Those muscles which bend the body are called _flexors_; those
which straighten it, _extensors_. When the arm is thrown up, one set of
muscles is used; to pull it down, another set: when it is thrown
forward, a still different set is used; when it is thrown back,
another, different from the former; when the arm turns in its socket,
still another set is used; and thus every different motion of the body
is made by a different set of muscles. All these muscles are compactly
and skilfully arranged, so as to work with perfect ease. Among them, run
the arteries, veins, and nerves, which supply each muscle with blood and
nervous power, as will be hereafter described. The size and strength of
the muscles depend greatly on their frequent exercise. If left inactive,
they grow thin and weak, instead of giving the plumpness to the figure,
designed by Nature. The delicate and feeble appearance of many American
women, is chiefly owing to the little use they make of their muscles.
Many a pale, puny, shad-shaped girl, would have become a plump, rosy,
well-formed person, if half the exercise, afforded to her brothers in
the open air, had been secured to her, during childhood and youth.
NERVES.
The nerves are the organs of sensation. They enable us to see, hear,
feel, taste, and smell; and also combine with the bones and muscles in
producing motion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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