The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latine and compared with the French. by Th: Johnson

CHAP. XXVII. The Description of the Bones of the Wrest, Afterwrest and fingers.

WE said before that the Hand taken more particularly and properly, is divi∣ded into the Wrest, afterwrest & fingers, & that the hand in this significa∣tion * 1.1 is bounded by the ends of the bones of the cubit and fingers. All the parts of the wrest, which it hath cōmon with the afterwrest, have bin al∣ready also plentifully explaned, this only remaines to be noted, that the skin aswell of the hands as of the feete, is of a middle nature betweene pure flesh and pure skin, no otherwise than that which covers the forehead, but that this which covers the palmes of the hands & soles of the feet is unmoveable; But it is most thicke, especially on the feete, left it should be easily offended by continuall going. Besides the common parts, the wrest is composed of eight small bones mutually knit together in

a certaine order, and by Diarthrosis with the two bones of the Cubite, but mutually and amongst themselves by Synarthrosis, by interposition of Gristles and Ligaments aswell common, that is, comming from the muscles, as proper, descending alwayes from the upper to the lower. But these same bones are some lesse than othersome, besides they are hard and without marrow, gibbous on the outside for the security and comlinesse of the hand, but hollow on the inside for to give way to the tendons going into the fingers. These bones are disposed in two rankes. The first Ranke containes onely three, but the second five. The three of the first Ranke ar thus arayed, or placed, that one of them may receive the Appendix Styloides of the Cubite; the o∣ther the Ell and the Wa••d together, and the third may be received by the Wand. But three of the five bones of the second order susteine the foure bones of the afterwrest & are knit to the same by Synarthrosis, after which manner of connexion they are joy∣ned to the bones of the first ranke; the fourth sustaines the first bone of the Thumbe to which also it is coarticulate by Synarthrosis; the fift and last is seated on the inside against the Ell, cheifly above that bone of the first order, which receives the Appendix Styloides of the Cubite, this is the least and weakest of them all by reason of its gristlely substance, which makes the Ring with certaine Ligaments running from one of the inner sides of the wrest to the other. * 1.2

This Ring is placed there as well for the preservation of the sinewes, veines & Arte∣ries passing under it (least when we leane upon our hand, or wrest, these parts should be hurt by compression) as also for the commodity of the Action of the muscles bending the finger, which in the performance of their action & the cōtracting thēselves might deform the hand by their passing forth of the Cavity of the wrest. For what attraction soever is made by strings, if it be free and not hindered, is according to a streight line.

Now follow the bones of the second part of the hand, or of the afterwrest. These * 1.3 are foure in number, gibbous without, but arched within, or hollow in the middle; for hence is the palme of the hand, or certainly the greater part thereof; their ends next the fingers are somewhat remote from each other, that in these clifts the Muscles In∣terosses might finde a place and seate. But these ends have each an Appendix, as you may perceive in the Sceleton of a childe. But you must note that by the first bone of the wrest or Afterwrest, we meane that which is in the foreside of the hand, that is to say, that in the wrest which lies under the Thumbe, and that in the Afterwrest, which it seated under the forefinger, as these which keepe in order the fingers which exceed the rest in necessity and dignity.

After these follow the fifteene bones of the fingers, that is, three in each, which are * 1.4 hollow and fistulous full of a thin and liquid marrow, and not of grosse and thicke as in the arme and thigh. They are outwardly gibbous, but inwardly hollow and flat for the fitter seate of the Tendons ascending alongst the fingers on the inside even to the upper joynt. The which that nature might the better strengthen and preserve, it hath produced from the lips of the inner Cavities of these bones a membranous & strong Ligament, which running overtwhart from one side to the other doth so strait∣ly close the Tendons to their bones, that they cannot goe forth of their places, or in∣cline to either side. They are connexed on the outside, that they might be more fit to hold any thing. But for the first bones of the 4 fingers and Thumbe, foure are joyned together with so many bones of the afterwrest by Synarthrosis, for the bones of the afterwrest are moved by no manifest motion; the fift is knit to the second ranke of the bones of the wrest, therefore that bone cannot be attributed to the afterwrest, as some have written, seeing it hath manifest motion and is knit by Diarthrosis, but the bones of the afterwrest are onely fastened by Synarthrosis. For the second and third ranke of bones of the fingers, they are knit the second to the first, and the third to the se∣cond by diarthrosis and Arthrodia, because besides the manifest motion they have, they receive each other by a superficary cavity, as those of the first ranke, the bones of the afterwrest, and those of the second ranke, them of the first; those of the third them of the second. And all the bones of the fingers are larger and thicker at their basis, but smaller towards the ends; and they are bound by Ligaments especially proper, which (as we said formerly) descend from the first to the second; so that the last bones seeing they have not to whom to communicate their nerve, make & produce nailes thereof:

Wherefore the nailes are generated by the fibers of the Ligaments, and the ex∣crement * 1.5 of the tendons which are terminated at the bottome of the nailes. Now re∣maine the Ossa Sesamoidea, or seed-bones: these are 19. in number in the inner joynts of each of the hands, and as many in each foote, viz. two in the first joynt of the foure fingers and in the second of the thumbe, and one in each of the rest. For the inner fide of the joynts, you may for the most part observe one in each of them; yet in the se∣cond joynt of the thumbe there be two, above the two tendons, which are somewhat gristlely.

They are made for this use, that they firme and strengthen the joynts, so that the bones of the fingers may not be turned awry, or thrust forth of their places by strong * 1.6 and violent motions, as it sometimes happens in the whirle-bone of the knee. They are called Sesamoidea from the resemblance they have to the seed of Sesamum, which is somewhat long and flat.

[illustration]

The Figure of the bones of the Hand. The 1. shewes the inside of the right hand, and the 2. shewes the backe side of the same.

The Charact. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. shew the eight bones of the wrest.

A, 1, 2, The first bone of the Afterwrest lying under the thumbe.

I. II. III. IIII. The 4. other bones of the Afterwrest annexed to the fingers.

B, C. The two bones of the thumbe.

D, E, F. 1, 2. The 3 bones of the forefinger, which are the same in the other fingers.

M, 1, 2. A litle bone some∣times fastened outward∣ly at the joynt of the eight bone of the wrest.

N, 1. A processe of the eight bone of the wrest, swelling out into the ball of the hand.

O, 1. A processe of the fift bone of the wrest, from which a Ligament proceeds.

P, 2. An Appendix of the bones of the wrest, by which they are articulated to the af∣terwrest.

Q, 2. Another appendix which with its head entreth into the Cavity of the finger.

R, 1, 2. The space betweene the bones of the afterwrest.

S, 1, 2. Two litle seed-bones set on the inside and outside of the first joynt:

T, 1. Two seed-bones in the first of the 4 fingers.

V. V. 1. One seed-bone in the second and third joynt of the fingers.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What the Hand proper∣ly so called is.
• * 1.2

  What the Annulus o•• Ring is.
• * 1.3

  The bones of the Aftervvrest
• * 1.4

  The bones of the fingers.
• * 1.5

  When at the mailes are ge∣nerated. The ossa Sesamoid. or Seed-bones.
• * 1.6

  Their use.