Ars chirurgica a compendium of the theory and practice of chirurgery in seven books ... shewing the names, causes, signs, differences, prognosticks, and various intentions of curing all kinds of chirurgick diseases ... : to which is added Pharmacopoeia chirurgica, or, The medical store, Latin and English ... / by William Salmon ...

IV. Wounds considered, in respect to the Parts hurt.

XVIII. All Wounds received in the Outside; and Forepart of the Body, do for the most part hurt Extension; and what are received on the Inside, Flexion, or Bending. For Galen demonstrates, that Inside Muscles serve for bend∣ing of a Part, and External for stretching it out. A Muscle so long operates, as it is contract∣ed towards its beginning, and draws the part moved, towards that; whether it be done by drawing the whole Muscle to that they call the Head; or when it is drawn in the whole, or altogether.

XIX. Whether the External or Internal Muscles are cut asunder, in both, the Figure of the Part re∣mains immoveable. For neither Extension is lost alone, nor Fle∣xion alone, but both continue, and both are lost together; not that the Operation really pe∣rishes, whose Muscles are in∣tire;

but because those Muscles succeed one another in their Operations by turns: For the internal bending Muscle being whole, the external Extensor being cut, at first indeed you may bend the Part, but you cannot bend it again, unless you extend it with something else: & contra, if the internal Muscle or Bender is cut, the External, or Extensor, being whole, this will extend at first, but no more afterwards, unless the Part be bended with your Hand again; for then the whole Muscle will perform its Operation again.

XX. Since some Parts are com∣posed of many Joints, it sometime happens, that the Function of the Part where the Wound is made, is not always hurt, but of an ad∣joining Part, which is tied to the wounded Part by Articulation: Because Muscles are derived from superjacent Bones, where∣in there are Acetabula, and are inserted after the beginnings of the subjacent, which are to be moved; and by these intense Muscles, when their Heads are drawn upwards, the whole Mem∣ber is drawn up with them.

XXI. So that if a Wound is made in the Brachium, it will hurt the Functions of the Cubit; if it be made in the Scapula, it will hurt the Functions of the Brachium, &c. But the use of a Part is not always lost, by the cutting of one Muscle, where several Muscles conspire to that one Action; and therefore the cutting of that singular Muscle, is not sufficient for the whole Action of the Part.