General Anatomy, Applied to Physiology and Medicine, Vol. 2 (of 3)Bichat, Xavier
Science
General Anatomy, Applied to Physiology and Medicine, Vol. 2 (of 3)
Bichat, Xavier
Human anatomy; Human physiology
It is easy to understand, from these views upon the articular motions,
the division into genera of the class of moveable articulations. In
fact, there are articulations in which all the motions are united; in
others, there is no rotation; in many rotation and circumduction are
wanting, and opposition exists only in one direction; some have only
rotation. Finally, there are those in which rotation, circumduction and
opposition are nothing, and sliding alone remains.
Hence we see that nature moves here as elsewhere by gradation, that
from the most moveable articulations to those that are the least so,
there are different degrees of decrease, that she descends gradually to
the immoveable articulations, that she is finally reduced to the motion
of sliding alone, like that which exists at the carpus, the tarsus,
&c. There is even an intermediate one between sliding and immobility;
it is the articulation of the symphysis pubis; which can be considered
with that of the humerus as forming the two extremes of the series of
moveable articulations.
All the articulations of which I have spoken are with contiguous
surfaces; this is the general character of those which are moveable.
There is however an exception to this rule; it is the articulation of
the body of the vertebræ, in which there is continuity and mobility.
The symphysis pubis is also in part continuous in its surfaces, and yet
has sometimes obscure motions. Hence arises a division of the moveable
articulations, into those with continuous surfaces, and into those with
contiguous ones.
_Immoveable Articulations._
The immoveable articulations are sometimes with surfaces inserted into
each other, as the bones of the cranium, in which many projections and
depressions reciprocally receive each other; sometimes with surfaces
in juxta-position, as in the articulation of the temporal with the
parietal, the two superior maxillary bones with each other; sometimes
with implanted surfaces, as in the teeth.
All the different divisions that I have mentioned will be easily
understood by the following table; it is not the same as that which
I have given in my treatise on the membranes; I think it presents
a classification a little more useful in this, that it offers for
a characteristic two things essential to be known in all kinds of
moveable articulations, viz. 1st, the relation of the articular
surfaces which characterizes the orders; 2d, the number of motions
of each which distinguishes the genera. There are no orders in the
immoveable articulations because, except the relation of surfaces, the
articulations have not differences sufficient to occasion them to be
sub-divided.
_Table of the Articulations._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account