On deformities of the chest and spine / [William Coulson].

  • William Coulson
Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On deformities of the chest and spine / [William Coulson]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    26/344 page 4
    Seven of the ribs, the seven uppermost, are also attached to the breast-bone before, and are therefore called true ribs; the eighth rib has its end turned up and rests on the seventh; the ninth rests in the same way on the eighth; but the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth, are not connected with one another in front. The fore extremity of each rib consists not of bone, but of an elastic substance, called cartilage. The elasticity of this substance, combined with the oblique position of the ribs, constitutes a beautiful provision, in consequence of which the chest enlarges and contracts in volume to afford free play to the lungs; thus consti- tuting, as has been observed, a structure which solves, in the most perfect manner, the difficult mechanical problem of forming a cavity with solid exterior, which shall yet be capable of dilating and contracting itself. Each pair of corresponding ribs may accordingly be considered as forming a hoop, which hangs obliquely
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