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on the relations of man to the lower animals-第6部分
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Hence it is obvious that; greatly as the dentition of the highest Ape
differs from that of Man; it differs far more widely from that of the
lower and lowest Apes。
Whatever part of the animal fabricwhatever series of muscles; whatever
viscera might be selected for comparisonthe result would be the
samethe lower Apes and the Gorilla would differ more than the Gorilla
and the Man。 I cannot attempt in this place to follow out all these
comparisons in detail; and indeed it is unnecessary I should do so。 But
certain real; or supposed; structural distinctions between man and the
apes remain; upon which so much stress has been laid; that they require
careful consideration; in order that the true value may be assigned to
those which are real; and the emptiness of those which are fictitious
may be exposed。 I refer to the characters of the hand; the foot; and
the brain。
Man has been defined as the only animal possessed of two hands
terminating his fore limbs; and of two feet ending his hind limbs;
while it has been said that all the apes possess four hands; and he has
been affirmed to differ fundamentally from all the apes in the
characters of his brain; which alone; it has been strangely asserted
and re…asserted; exhibits the structures known to anatomists as the
posterior lobe; the posterior cornu of the lateral ventricle; and the
hippocampus minor。
That the former proposition should have gained general acceptance is not
surprisingindeed; at first sight; appearances are much in its favour:
but; as for the second; one can only admire the surpassing courage of
its enunciator; seeing that it is an innovation which is not only
opposed to generally and justly accepted doctrines; but which is
directly negatived by the testimony of all original inquirers; who have
specially investigated the matter: and that it neither has been; nor
can be; supported by a single anatomical preparation。 It would; in
fact; be unworthy of serious refutation; except for the general and
natural belief that deliberate and reiterated assertions must have some
foundation。
Before we can discuss the first point with advantage we must consider
with some attention; and compare together; the structure of the human
hand and that of the human foot; so that we may have distinct and clear
ideas of what constitutes a hand and what a foot。
The external form of the human hand is familiar enough to every one。 It
consists of a stout wrist followed by a broad palm; formed of flesh;
and tendons; and skin; binding together four bones; and dividing into
four long and flexible digits; or fingers; each of which bears on the
back of its last joint a broad and flattened nail。 The longest cleft
between any two digits is rather less than half as long as the hand。
From the outer side of the base of the palm a stout digit goes off;
having only two joints instead of three; so short; that it only reaches
to a little beyond the middle of the first joint of the finger next it;
and further remarkable by its great mobility; in consequence of which
it can be directed outwards; almost at a right angle to the rest。 This
digit is called the 'pollex;' or thumb; and; like the others; it bears a
flat nail upon the back of its terminal joint。 In consequence of the
proportions and mobility of the thumb; it is what is termed
〃opposable〃; in other words; its extremity can; with the greatest ease;
be brought into contact with the extremities of any of the fingers; a
property upon which the possibility of our carrying into effect the
conceptions of the mind so largely depends。
The external form of the foot differs widely from that of the hand; and
yet; when closely compared; the two present some singular
resemblances。 Thus the ankle corresponds in a manner with the wrist;
the sole with the palm; the toes with the fingers; the great toe with
the thumb。 But the toes; or digits of the foot; are far shorter in
proportion than the digits of the hand; and are less moveable; the want
of mobility being most striking in the great toewhich; again; is very
much larger in proportion to the other toes than the thumb to the
fingers。 In considering this point; however; it must not be forgotten
that the civilized great toe; confined and cramped from childhood
upwards; is seen to a great disadvantage; and that in uncivilized and
barefooted people it retains a great amount of mobility; and even some
sort of opposability。 The Chinese boatmen are said to be able to pull
an oar; the artisans of Bengal to weave; and the Carajas to steal
fishhooks; by its help; though; after all; it must be recollected that
the structure of its joints and the arrangement of its bones;
necessarily render its prehensile action far less perfect than that of
the thumb。
But to gain a precise conception of the resemblances and differences of
the hand and foot; and of the distinctive characters of each; we must
look below the skin; and compare the bony framework and its motor
apparatus in each (Fig。 18)。
FIG。 18…。…The skeleton of the Hand and Foot of Man reduced from Dr。
Carter's drawings in Gray's 'Anatomy。' The hand is drawn to a larger
scale than the foot。 The line 'a a' in the hand indicates the boundary
between the carpus and the metacarpus; 'b b' that between the latter
and the proximal phalanges; 'c c' marks the ends of the distal
phalanges。 The line 〃a' a'〃 in the foot indicates the boundary between
the tarsus and metatarsus; 〃b' b'〃 marks that between the metatarsus
and the proximal phalanges; and 〃c' c'〃 bounds the ends of the distal
phalanges; 'ca'; the calcaneum; 'as'; the astragalus; 'sc'; the
scaphoid bone in the tarsus。
The skeleton of the hand exhibits; in the region which we term the
wrist; and which is technically called the 'carpus'two rows of
closely fitted polygonal bones; four in each row; which are tolerably
equal in size。 The bones of the first row with the bones of the
forearm; form the wrist joint; and are arranged side by side; no one
greatly exceeding or overlapping the rest。
The four bones of the second row of the carpus bear the four long bones
which support the palm of the hand。 The fifth bone of the same
character is articulated in a much more free and moveable manner than
the others; with its carpal bone; and forms the base of the thumb。
These are called 'metacarpal' bones; and they carry the 'phalanges'; or
bones of the digits; of which there are two in the thumb; and three in
each of the fingers。
The skeleton of the foot is very like that of the hand in some respects。
Thus there are three phalanges in each of the lesser toes; and only two
in the great toe; which answers to the thumb。 There is a long bone;
termed 'metatarsal'; answering to the metacarpal; for each digit; and
the 'tarsus'; which corresponds with the carpus; presents four short
polygonal bones in a row; which correspond very closely with the four
carpal bones of the second row of the hand。 In other respects the foot
differs very widely from the hand。 Thus the great toe is the longest
digit but one; and its metatarsal is far less moveably articulated with
the tarsus; than the metacarpal of the thumb with the carpus。 But a
far more important distinction lies in the fact that; instead of four
more tarsal bones there are only three; and; that these three are not
arranged side by side; or in one row。 One of them; the 'os calcis' or
heel bone ('ca'); lies externally; and sends back the large projecting
heel; another; the 'astragalus' ('as'); rests on this by one face; and
by another; forms; with the bones of the leg; the ankle joint; while a
third face; directed forwards; is separated from the three inner tarsal
bones of the row next the metatarsus by a bone called the 'scaphoid'
('sc')。
Thus there is a fundamental difference in the structure of the foot and
the hand; observable when the carpus and the tarsus are contrasted; and
there are differences of degree noticeable when the proportions and the
mobility of the metacarpals and metatarsals; with their respective
digits; are compared together。
The same two classes of differences become obvious when the muscles of
the hand are compared with those of the foot。
Three principal sets of muscles; called 〃flexors;〃 bend the fingers and
thumb; as in clenching the fist; and three setsthe extensorsextend
them; as in straightening the fingers。 These muscles are all 〃long
muscles〃; that is to say; the fleshy part of each; lying in and being
fixed to the bones of the arm; is; at the other end; continued into
tendons; or rounded cords; which pass into the hand; and are ultimately
fixed to the bones which are to be moved。 Thus; when the fingers are
bent; the fleshy parts of the flexors of the fingers; placed in the arm;
contract; in virtue of their peculiar endowment as muscles; and pulling
the tendinous cords; connected with their ends; cause them to pull down
the bones of the fingers towards the palm。
Not only are the principal flexors of the fingers and of the thumb long
muscles; but they remain quite distinct from one another through their
whole length。
In the foot; there are also three principal flexor muscles of the digits
or toes; and three principal extensors; but one extensor and one flexor
are short muscles; that is to say; their fleshy parts are not situated
in the leg (which corresponds with the arm); but in the back and in the
sole of the footregions which correspond with the back and the palm of
the hand。
Again; the tendons of the long flexor of the toes; and of the long
flexor of the great toe; when they reach the sole of the foot; do not
remain distinct from one another; as the flexors in the palm of the
hand do; but they become united and commingled in a very curious
mannerwhile their united tendons receive an accessory muscle
connected with the heel…bone。
But perhaps the most absolutely distinctive character about the muscles
of the foot is the existence of what is termed the 'peronaeus longus';
a long muscle fixed to the outer bone of the leg; and sending its
tendon to the outer ankle; behind and below which it passes; and then
crosses the foot obliquely to be attached to the base of the great toe。
No muscle in t
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