The people's common sense medical adviser in plain English, or, Medicine simplified . sutiicientlyto allow it to oscillate. 42. Motion is a characteristic of living bodies. This is true,not only with regard to animals, but also with plants. Theoyster, although not possessing the power of locomotion, opensand closes its shell at pleasure. The coral insect appears at thedoor of its cell, and then retreats, at will. All the variedmotions of animals are due to that distinguishing propert)^ ofthe muscles, viz., contractility. Although plants are influencedby external agents, as light, heat, electri
The people's common sense medical adviser in plain English, or, Medicine simplified . sutiicientlyto allow it to oscillate. 42. Motion is a characteristic of living bodies. This is true,not only with regard to animals, but also with plants. Theoyster, although not possessing the power of locomotion, opensand closes its shell at pleasure. The coral insect appears at thedoor of its cell, and then retreats, at will. All the variedmotions of animals are due to that distinguishing propert)^ ofthe muscles, viz., contractility. Although plants are influencedby external agents, as light, heat, electricity, etc., yet it cannotbe denied that they move in response to inward impulses. Thesensitive stamens of the barberry, when touched at their base onthe inner side, intuitively resent the intrusion, by making asudden jerk forwai-d. Venuss-flytrap, a plant found in NorthCarolina, is remarkable for the sensitiveness of its leaves, whichclose suddenly and capture insects which chance to alight uponthem. The muscles of the articulates are situated within the THK MUSCLES. 37 Fnj. ?. A represcntalion of ihe suvf^incial Inyer of muscles on the jioRlerlorportion of Llie body. 38 COMMON MtCOICAl. AUVTSKR. solid frame-woik, unlike the vertebrates, whose muscles are ex-ternal to the bony skeleton. All animals have the power ofmotion, from the lowest radiate to tlie highest vertebrate, fromthe most repulsive polyp to that type of organized life made inthe very image of Ged. 43. The muscles, then, subserve an endless variety of pur-poses. By their aid the farmer em])loys his implements of hus-bandry, the mechanic deftly wields his tools, the artist plies hisbrush, while the fervid orator gives ntterance to thoughts glow-ing with heavenly emotions. It is by their agency that the sub-limest spiritual conceptions can be brought to the sphere of thesenses, and the noblest, loftiest aims of to-day can be made theglorious realizations of the future. CHAPTER IV. PHYSIOLOGICAL ANATOMY. TH
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Keywords: ., bookcentury180, bookdecade1870, booksubjectmedicine, bookyear1876
