Mikrokosmographia a description of the body of man. Together vvith the controuersies thereto belonging. Collected and translated out of all the best authors of anatomy, especially out of Gasper Bauhinus and Andreas Laurentius. By Helkiah Crooke Doctor of Physicke, physitian to His Maiestie, and his Highnesse professor in anatomy and chyrurgerie. Published by the Kings Maiesties especiall direction and warrant according to the first integrity, as it was originally written by the author.

CHAP. XX. Of the Spine in generall.

WEe deuided the Sceleton before into three partes, the Scull, the Trunke and the loynts. The Scull we haue prosecuted as narrowly as we could; the Trunk we also deuided into the Spine, the Chest, and the Bone without a name. Vnder the name of the Spine we comprehend all that which is extended from the first Racke-bone of the Necke vnto the Coccyx or Rumpe: and this the Grecians call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, be∣cause the backepart of it is sharpe and spinie. It is called also dorsum or the Backe, be∣cause the Backe is the greatest part thereof.

This Spine is the habitation or seat and defence of the Marrow as the Scull is of the * 1.1 Braine. For because the dignity or woorth of the Marrow of the Spine is equall to the worth of the braine (for it is the originall of all the sinnewes excepting seauen coniugati∣ons, and therefore is called the Braines Vicar or Substitute) Nature was no lesse carefull of the preseruation thereof then she was of the Braine it selfe. As therefore the Brayne was compassed with the bones of the Scull as with a Helmet, so the Spinall Marrow is walled in on euery side by the Racke-bones of the Chine.

This that Nature might the better accomplish, first she hollowed the Spine through∣out, then she exasperated it with many processes both acute and transuerse, thereby as it were flanking the bulwarke against all annoyance. The cauity is large, the better to con∣taine the Marrow, in which respect the whole Spine is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Sacred Pipe, by Herophilus the Canale. The Spine therefore is bony, not made of one but of many com∣pacted together, as well to helpe the variety of motions because it was fitte the creature * 1.2 should moue forward and backward, as also to preuent danger; for the luxation saith Hip∣pocrates, of one Rack-bone is more dangerous then of many, because it constrayneth the Marrow into an acute angle, and so doth necessarily either breake it or compresse it very sore.

These Bones that make the Spine are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from the similitude the haue with the whirle of a wheele. They are also called vertebrae, because by them the body is tur∣ned into diuers parts. Pliny calles them ossa orbiculata round or Nut-bones. This Spine is * 1.3 the Basis and foundation of the whole building, and therefore the auncients compared it to the carkasse of a Ship, for as the crooked ribbes and elbowes of a Shippe are fastned to the bulke, and afterward the prow and the sterne or castle are annexed, right so the ribbes the Armes and the Legs are fastned to the Spine.

The figure of the Spine Hippocrates first elegantly expressed in the third Section of his Booke de articulis, and in his Booke de natura ossium, where he sayth it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that * 1.4 is, after a manner direct or straight: yet so that it inclineth sometime backeward sometime inward. From the first Rackbone of the Necke vnto the seuenth it inclineth inward that it might support the Gullet and the rough artery. From the first Racke of the Backe vn∣to the twelfth it beareth outward, to leaue more space for the organs of Respiration, that is, for the Heart and the Lungs. The Loynes incline inward to support the descending

trunkes of the hollow veine and the great artery. The holy-bone protuberateth outward with a kinde of rectitude or streightnesse to make the capacity of the Hypogastrium or water-course better able to conteine the bladder, the right gut and the wombe.

We also will add, saith Laurentius, that the fore and inner part is equall that it might not offend the bowels yet scored throughout with transuerse inscriptions: the backeside is vnequall for the better insertion of muscles, and the safer egresse of the vessels.

The Spine may be diuided into foure parts, the Necke, the Backe, the Loines, and the * 1.5 Holy-bone. The Rackes of the necke are seuen, of the backe twelue, of the Loines fine, whose articulation and coalition is strange and wonderfull. The articulation is double, forward and backward; the forward articulation is made by the bodies of the Spondels, and is more strict and close: the backward or hinder articulation is made by the oblique processes and is more lax or remisse, partly that the creature might mooue more easilie forward, partly least in bending backward the vessels should be distended, compressed, or broken. In a word, there are sixe articulations of the rackbones, two by their bodyes, and foure by their oblique processes ascending and descending. That articulation which is made by the processes belongeth to Ginglymos, for euery racke (excepting the first and the eleuenth) receiueth an vpper and is receiued by a lower, so that for the making of * 1.6 the Ginglymos there must be three rackes.

The Symphysis or coalition of the Rack-bones is not Gristle bound, although their ex∣treamities bee lined ouer with a gristle, but by Ligaments and those very strong, arising from the bones, from the gristles, and from the membranes that inuest the bones.

[illustration]

TABVLA XII.

[illustration]

See this Tables description, in fol. 771.

All the racke-bones of the Spine haue many thinges in common. First euery rack hath his body seated on the inside * 1.7 thicker and more fungous thē the rest of the bone, to which also Appendices do grow & gristles. It is broade both in the vpper and in the lower ba∣sis to make the articulation more secure least it should lux sideward. Againe, euery racke hath a large hole wherein the narrow is contained, and this perforation is in all the rackes equall, saith Laurentius, for he neuer could obserue it larger aboue or narrower below, al∣though some haue thoght the contrary. But, saith Laurentius although the wonderfull fruit∣fulnesse of the Marrow of the backe in propagating Nerues be by degrees diminished, yet those lower cauities are filled vp with thicker Membranes, prepared more straitely to v∣nite the thicker Bodyes of the Spondels. Thirdly, in euery rackbone there are three kinds of processes, oblique, trans∣uerse and acute. The oblique are foure, two in the vpper part and as many in the lower; the vpper ascending, the low∣er descending, and by these are the Hinges of the backe hung together, for the articula∣tion is made by Gynglimos.

The transuerse processes are two, made to secure their muscles and for their originals and insertions. The acute processe is single, seated in the backepart, and giueth the name

vnto the whole, for it is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or the Spine, and this is wanting onely in the first Racke.

Fourthly, in euery Racke-bone there are fiue Appendices, two in the body, two in the transuerse processes, and one in the Spine.

Finally, euery spondell which is articulated with another, hath a perforation which af∣fordeth an outlet for the nerues, produced from the Marrow. Notwithstanding this per∣foration is not after the manner in all the Racks, for in those of the Neck the lower is dee∣per then the vpper: in the spondels of the Backe, the semicircle of the vpper and the lo∣wer is equall: in the vertebrae of the Loynes the whole cauity almost is formed by the vp∣per. And these things are common to all the Racke-bones. Now in their particular histo∣ry wee shall see what is proper to euery one of them; but first you shall haue a Table to shew you all the Rack-bones of the Spine from the top to the bottom.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What the spine is. The dignity thereof.
• * 1.2

  Why the spine is hollow.
• * 1.3

  Why made of manie bones.
• * 1.4

  The figure of them
• * 1.5

  4 parts of the Spine.
• * 1.6

  The artic¦tion of 〈…〉〈…〉 Rackes. ••
• * 1.7

  What the Rackbones haue in com∣mon.