Chirurgorum comes, or, The whole practice of chirurgery begun by the learned Dr. Read ; continued and completed by a Member of the College of physicians in London.

SECT. XVI.

How a Chirurgeon may be able to predict some hurts of the Functions in some wounded Parts? First, what is the Instrument of voluntary Motion?

IT sometimes so happens, that upon a Wound given, before the event be seen, our Judgment is demanded in Court, whether it will lame a Man, or make any part imperfect in its Functions? To which Questions it is not eve∣ry one that is able to give a satis∣factory Answer: He had need be a skilful Artist, who knows exact∣ly the structure of the parts of the Body, and their use, and who has carefully observed the various e∣vents of Wounds. This Treatise also may be of use, thô you be far from any Court: For when, ac∣cording to Art, you predict the events of great Wounds, you will leave no room for reprehension to those querulous people, that would lay the blame of the abolished Function upon the Physicians cure, not upon the Wound received. The knowledge of this thing is account∣ed very necessary to him that pra∣ctises with his Hands, whether he be to take out sharp things, and points of weapons, or to take away any thing, or to cure Sinus's and Abscesses aright. Besides, it is so ablolutely necessary for a Phy∣sician to know by what Muscles the Arm, Hand, Thigh, Leg and Foot are extended, and again, by what Muscles they are bended, that an Empirick dare not condemn this knowledge; but must con∣fess, it is very useful. But here I would have my Reader under∣stand, that I shall not treat of all Hurts; but only of those which principally have respect to the ani∣mal Function, nor of all them neither; but of some external ones, whereby some conspicuous voluntary motion is hurt. For the harm that is done to the vital and natural Instruments, we do not meddle with here; because upon recovery of the Patient, no

impediment is left in doing his ci∣vil Affairs. For if the Heart, Lungs, Liver, Stomach, or Veins receive a Wound, it either kills the party, or if he escape he can perform vo∣luntary Motion, and go about his Business. But I have discoursed of this among mortal Wounds. Now therefore that I may have some foundation to build my Dis∣course upon, I take it for granted, that a Muscle is the instrument of that Motion, which is at the command of our Will, which we therefore call voluntary or spon∣taneous. Nor is there any part any where in the Body (if it have a spontancous Motion) but has Muscles inserted in it. Now there are three parts of a Muscle, the two ends which are nervous, and the middle carnous. And the be∣ginning of a Muscle, which they call the Head and Rise, comes from the Bones; but the middle which they call the Belly, has many Fi∣bres dispersed in it, which are de∣rived from the Ligaments and Nerves. The end is called a Ten∣don, because its action is to ex∣tend, and the Muscle ends in it. It is made up of many mixt Fibres, and is inferted either into a Bone, or into another Muscle, i.e. into that part of it, which is to be mo∣ved. Nor is it any obstacle that Galen somewhere says, that a Ten∣don, not a Muscle is the instru∣ment of voluntary Motion; and that a Muscle is made for the sake of a Tendon: for a Tendon is in∣deed part of a Muscle, and that to which action is principally owing: and the Muscle is the entire instru∣ment, so that it makes little mat∣ter, whether the property of the Function be attributed to the one, or to the other. For the Eye by all Men is reputed the instrument of Seeing; yet all the action of Seeing is most truly ascribed to the Crystalline Humor, as to the chiefest part of the instrument.