The valvular structure of the heart, anatomically and physiologically considered : with a view to exemplify or set forth, by instance or example, the wisdom, power and goodness of God, as revealed and declared in Holy Writ : the Warneford prize essay, for the year 1841 / by William French Clay.

  • Clay, William French, -1889.
Date:
1842
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The valvular structure of the heart, anatomically and physiologically considered : with a view to exemplify or set forth, by instance or example, the wisdom, power and goodness of God, as revealed and declared in Holy Writ : the Warneford prize essay, for the year 1841 / by William French Clay. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    If Anatomically considered, the heart may be defined to be a hollow muscular organ, of an irregular conical figure, situated obliquely in the thorax, between the anterior and posterior medias- tina, overlapped by the lungs, inclining do^vnwards, forwards, out- wards, and to the left side in front of the spine, and behind the sternum; it is convex anteriorly, flattened posteriorly, where resting upon the central tendon of the diaphragm, and protected by its^ proper investing membrane, the pericardium. It presents an anterior and posterior surface, a right and left margin; the apex points downwards, forwards, and to the left, and, when at rest, corresponds to the sixth rib; the base looks upwards and to the right, separated from the spine by the parts contained in the posterior mediastinum. It is subject to a slight degree of change of position from the influence of the parts with which it is in contact. Violent contraction of the diaphragm carries it a little downwards, and it is pressed in the contrary way when the abdominal viscera are forced up by the powerful contraction of the abdominal muscles. It has been seen to sink deeper into the thorax during expiration, but again to approach the thoracic parietes when inspiration was efi'ected. The apex recedes from the inner side of the left wall on the body being bent to the right side; when bent to the opposite one it approaches still more. Two grooves occupy its anterior and posterior surface—one taking a transverse, the other a longitudinal direction; they alFord a lodgement for the vessels of the heart, and also indicate the division of it into four separate compartments, two of which have received the name of auricles, the remaining two that of ventricles : the auricles occupy the space above the transverse line; the ventricles are situated below this line; the veins termi- nate in the auricles; the arteries arise from the ventricles; on the right are placed an auricle and a ventricle ; the same arrangement obtains on the left. The cavities of the same side communicate vsdth each other, valves being interposed, which, when necessary, close this communication; those of opposite ones do not, except during foetal life,—so_ that the heart may be considered as being made up of two distinct systems, one on the right side (cor pulmonale), consisting of an auricle and ventricle, for the purpose of driving black blood through the lungs—the other on the left side (cor systemicum), consisting of two analogous cavities, to circulate the fluid received from the lungs, through the arteries of the body. It now remains to describe each of these cavities; and, in doing so, we shall adhere to tlieir physiological relations, by considering, Firstly, The cor pulmonale, or right cavities of the heart; Secondly, The cor systemicum, or left cavities of this organ. In consider- mg the pulmonic division of the heart, we shall commence with the auricle. RIGHT AURICLE. _ The right auricle rests upon the diaphragm, and occupies the right and anterior parts of the base of the lieart; it consists of two parts one of which is large, and occupies the intervening space between the openings of the two venee cava), and, from its receiving the blood directly from tlieso, has been termed sinus venarum