An entire body of philosophy according to the principles of the famous Renate Des Cartes in three books, (I) the institution ... (II) the history of nature ... (III) a dissertation of the want of sense and knowledge in brute animals ... / written originally in Latin by the learned Anthony Le Grand ; now carefully translated from the last corrections, alterations, and large additions of the author, never yet published ... by Richard Blome.

CHAP. II. A Description of the External Parts of Mans Body.

I. It is suffici∣ent for a young Scholar in Philoso∣phy to know the more principal parts of Mans Body. VERY wonderful is the Struclure of Mans Body, if we consider all its Parts, and the use or end for which they were framed: but be∣cause it would require too much time and pains, to give here a particular account of them all; and because that belongs rather to a Physician than a Philosopher, I shall only touch at the more Prin∣cipal Parts, passing by those which would rather confound first beginners than inform them.

II. How many Similar parts there be in the Body of Man. For the better understanding of them, we must observe that the parts which constitute the Body of Man, are either Similar Parts, or Dissimilar. Similar are those whose substance is the same, and alike throughout: or which may be divided into Parts of the same nature and Denomination; and of these 11 are reckoned up by Physicians, viz. Bones, known by their great hardness and firm∣ness; Gristles, which are the next in solidity and firmness to that of Bones, and of which the Ear consists. Tendons, which are the ends or extremi∣ties of the Muscles; Ligaments, which approach to the nature of Tendons, and serve to join 2 solid parts together, viz. Bones to Bones. Fibres, which are as it were the Woof of the other parts. Mem∣brans, which are thin and broad substances, serving for a covering to several parts: such as are the Membran or Skin that covers the Ribs, the Blad∣der, the Stomach. Arteries, which conveigh the Vital Blood from the Heart to all the parts of the Body. The Veins which conveigh the Blood back again from the parts to the Heart. The Nerves or Sinews which carry the Animal Spirits from the Brain and the Marrow of the Back Bone to all parts; and the Flesh and the Skin. To which may be re∣ferred also the Fat, Nails and Hair, as being parts compleating the whole, and of a similar nature.

III. How many Dissimilar Parts there be in Mans body. Dissimilar Parts are such as are made up of se∣veral Similar Parts; or which may be divided into Dissimilar Particles, as a Hand, Foot which may be divided into Skin, Flesh, Bones, Veins, Ar∣teries and Nerves which are of a different Nature and Denomination. And such are the Head, Neck, Breast, both the Arms, Legs, &c.

IV. The Head. The first and Principal part of the Human Bo∣dy is the Head, which contains the Organs of Sense and Motion, and is the House or Abode of the Soul it self. It is round or Sphaerical, but some∣what comprest or flatted, and longish: and for its better security, is all cover'd with Bones. And is placed in the highest part of the Body, according to GALEN, for the Eyes sake, which are placed there as in a Watch Tower to take a prospect of all objects round about it.

V. The Parts of the Head. The Head is divided into the Hairy part or Scalp, and that without Hair, called the Face. The Forepart of the Hairy Scalp, from the Forehead to the Sutura Coronalis, is called Sinciput, that is, the Forepart of the Head; and that which reacheth from the Sutura Lambdoidea to the first Joint of the Neck, is called Occiput, or the Hinder Part of the Head; the middle and Gibbous part between both these, is called Vertex or the Crown of the Head. The part without Hair, that is, the Face, hath also its several parts, the Forehead, or supe∣rior part, which bears the Signs of the Mind; and the Inferiour in which are the Organs of the Senses, as the Eyes, Nostrils, Ears and Mouth which hides the Tongue.

VI. The Mem∣brans in∣wrapping the Skull. There be two outward Membrans that encom∣pass the Skull, the Pericranium or Skin so called from its going about the Skull, which is a soft and thin Membran; and the Periostium, which is a most thin nervous Membran, so closely joined to the Pericranium; that they seem only to consti∣tute one Membran. To which are conjoyned the Inward Membrans that infold the Brain, which are likewise 2, viz. a thin one, that imme∣diately covers the Brain, and is called Pia Mater, and a thick one, which is called Dura Mater. They are commonly called Meninges, and by the Arabian Physicians, Matres or Mothers, because they supposed all the Membrans of the Body deri∣ved and propagated from these.

VII. How the Blood comes to them. To these Membrans the Vital Blood is conveigh∣ed by the outward Branch of the Arteris called Carotides, and that which is left after the Nourish∣ing of their parts, is by small Veins sent back to the External Jugulars. Some believe that these Arteries, passing through the little holes of the Skull, do penetrate and pass into the great Bosom or cavity of the Dura Mater: tho' this doth not seem probable, since they tend only to the Diplois, and in it do vanish or disappear.

VIII. What the Neck is. The Neck is that part of the Body which is be∣tween the Breast and the Face, and supports the Head, being called Collum, à Colendo. Because it is commonly much adorned. It is somewhat lon∣gish, to assist the tuning of the Voice. According∣ly those Animals that utter no Voice, as Fishes, want a Neck; and those that have a strong voice, have the longer Necks, as Cranes, Geese, &c. The hind part of the Neck is called Cervix; and the forepart Guttur or the Throat. The Neck consists of 7 Joints, which are the upper part of the Spine. In the forepart of it are 2 great Pipes, whereof the one is called the Wind-Pipe or Rough Artery, because of its unequal Gristly Rings, and serves to conveigh the Air to the Lungs, and from thence

out of the Body. The other inward Pipe is the Gullet, by which the Meat and Drink is conveyed from the Mouth to the Stomach.

IX. The Breast. Next to the Neck, the Breast begins, which is that part of the Body which contains the Heart, Lungs and Vital parts: Its hind-part comprehends, besides the Shoulder-blades, the Back, and 12 Joints of the Spine; from whence 7 Ribs do pro∣ceed, having their Ends cloathed or cover'd with Gristles, which are called the true or perfect Ribs; because they Circle-wise compass the hollow of the Breast, reaching to the Grisly or Spongy Bone cal∣led Sternum, and ending downwards in the Gristle that resembles the figure of a Sword. In the Middle of the Breast are 2 Dugs or Paps, on each side one; situated there, First, in order to their being near the Heart, to receive heat from thence: Secondly, for Comliness sake: Thirdly, for the more convenient Suckling of Children. They are 2 in number; not for to Suckle Twins, as some will have it, but to the end that if one of them should come to any hurt, the other might sup∣ply the place of it, and perform the Function alone.

X. The Dugs consist of two parts. The Dug is divided into the Nipple, and the Pap it self. The Nipple is a Spongy kind of flesh, and therefore is at sometines more loose and flaggy, and at other times more stiff, especially when suck'd or touch'd. The Dug, or Pap it self, in∣wardly consists of a Membran, Vessels, Kernels, or rather Kernel-like Bodies, and Fat. In Men the Dugs are not so great or prominent as in Women, theirs being not commonly designed for the Gene∣ration of Milk; yet to shew the Equality of kind i•• both Sexes, it was not fitting that Men should be altogether without them.

XI. The Belly. Under the Breast is the Belly, whose fore-part is called Abdomen, and in its Middle is the Navil; the upper part whereof is the Hypochondrium, which Name is also given to its Sides. Beneath are the Groins, and the Parts designed for Generation. The Upper-part of the Abdomen, reaching up to the Midriff, is the Stomach, which lies Cross∣ways, and which having received the Food from the Mouth, by means of the Gullet, doth digest it into Chyle; and afterwards sends the purer part of the Chyle, by the Subclavial Branches of the Vena Cava, into the Vena Cava it self.

XII. The Back∣parts of the Body. The Hinder-parts of the Body are the Shoulder∣blades, to which the Shoulders are joyned, and to them the Arms with the Elbow. For by the word Arm, we understand all that part which reacheth from the Shoulder, where the Collar-bones end, to the Fingers ends; tho' commonly the Hand is not comprehended under the word Arm. The Arm consists of 3 conspicuous Parts, viz. the Upper∣part of it called Lacertus; the Middle-part of it, from the Elbow to the Wrist, called Cubitus, and the Hand. The Upper-part of the Arm hath one only Bone; the Middle-part hath two Bones; the Lower, which is called Ulna or Cubitus, and the Upper called Radius. The Hand also consists of 3 Parts, viz. the Wrist, the part between the Fingers and the Wrist, called Metacarpium, and the Fingers; the Fingers have each of them 3 Joints. The Hands are 2, the Right and the Left. Next to the Shoulders are the Loyns, and near to them the Os Sacrum, distinguish'd as it were into 5 Bones, having on each side of it the Bone Ilium, jetting out like a Bow, and the Hip∣bone; and under these the Buttocks.

XIII. The Flesh. The use of the Flesh is, to cover the Bones and Members of the Body, more especially the Inward parts, and to hinder them from falling asunder. It is made up of the Substance of the Blood, by the coagulation of its thicker Parts. The Fat in its nature is like to Flesh, and proceeds from the same Principle. Its Function is to preserve the Natural heat, to defend the Parts it covers from Outward hurts, and by moistning and smoothing the dryer Parts of the Body, to assist and promote motion.

XIV. The Diffe∣rences of Flesh. Flesh is fourfold; Viscerous, Membranous or Skinny, Glandulous, and Musculous, or that of the Muscles. The Viscerous is that whereof the In∣wards consist, and is nothing else but an affusion of Blood, which supports the Vessels of the In∣wards, by filling the empty Spaces that are be∣tween them, and assists the Concoctions and Sepa∣rations that are made in them. The Membranous Flesh is nothing else, but the Fleshy Substance of every Membranous part; as of the Gullet, the Sto∣mach, the Guts, the Womb, and the Bladder. Glandulous Flesh is that of the Kernels; the use whereof is either to soak up the superfluous Hu∣mours (for they are of a Spongy Substance) as those in the Neck, under the Armpits, and in the Groin; or they are in order to the moistning of the Parts, for their more ready motion, or to pre∣vent the dryness of the Parts. The Musculous, which GALEN calls the fibrous or stringy Flesh, is that soft and red Substance, which is Flesh, pro∣perly so called.

XV. The Bones. The Bones are the strength and support of the Flesh, and are the insensible Parts of the Organical Body of an Animal; as also the hardest and driest, containing the Marrow within them. There are 304 of them in the Body of Man, which are of diverse figures, according to their different uses; for some of them are round, others flat; some sharp, and others blunt, &c. It is a mistake to think the Bones to be without Blood; for they are Red in the Womb before the Infant is born, are found to have small Vessels in them, from whence Blood gusheth forth; and when they are broke, the Callous matter that joyns them again together, sweats Blood. The Muscles follow the bigness and figure of the Bones, to which they are joyned; and move those Members of the Body, to which they are particularly destinated. The Nerves or Sinews have fibres or strings, extended long∣ways, and are the Instruments of Sense and Mo∣tion.

XVI. The Feet. Lastly, This whole Bulk is supported by the Feet, assisted with the Leg and the Thigh, with the Knee that joyns them both together. The Thigh hath only one Bone in the Upper-part, whereof, besides the round Head, inserted in the hollow end of the Huckle or Hip-bone, there is a kind of Neck, whence 2 Ends shoot forth, which are called Trochanteres: And in the Lower-part this Bone is so joyned with the Chief-bone of the Shin or Leg▪ that in the foremost Hollow of the jetting out of the Bone, there is a place for the Bone, called the Knee-pan, which hinders the Leg from bending forwards. To the Lower-part of the Foot 3 parts concur, viz. the Heel, the Sole of the Foot, which is as it were its Back, and is made hollow in the

midst, to the end it might the more firmly stick to the Ground in going; and the 5 Toes, which are very helpful to progressive motion.