Ribbing

“ At the psychologic moment the right foot is advanced half a pace, the left leg straightened into a brace, the right arm, with its extended cutlass, stiffened to a bar of steel—and the thing is done. The keen two-foot blade, slipping between the shoulder blade and the first rib, shores its way through heart and lungs, and its point may even penetrate to the abdominal cavity. ”

“ There is a femur which helps its fellow to support the weight of the body; and there again is a rib which, along with others, forms a protective box for certain of the viscera. Dissection reveals a set of muscles serving to straighten and bend the fingers, certain other muscles that move the legs, and some inconspicuous muscles which, contracting every two or three seconds, slightly raise the ribs and aid in inflating the lungs. ”

“ When we breathe deeply and endeavour to inspire more than is usual we employ certain muscles which act on the ribs, enlarging the cavity of the chest, and then diminishing it as the expiration occurs. The larger the spaces between the ribs, and the more elastic the ribs themselves, the greater is their possible amount of movement. In us it is very great in the child, great in man, but much less in old age, when the elasticity of the ribs diminishes. ”

“ The ribs are one- or two-headed, rather strong, but short, rarely reaching half-way round the body. They occur on all the vertebrae of the trunk and on most of those of the tail. One pair of ribs connects one vertebra, the sacral, with the pelvis, of which the ilium and ischium are generally ossified, rarely also a portion of the pubic region. ”

“ Ligaments of the Ribs.—The thick inferior end of the sternal portion of the true rib has two small articular heads, which articulate with two depressions in the articular surface of the sternum. This articulation is held firm by a capsular ligament.
The upper end of the sternal rib forms an almost perfect right angle with the inferior end of the dorsal rib with which it is connected by a joint provided with a synovial apparatus and a capsular ligament. This arrangement allows free movement outward and inward and is the main joint in respiration. ”

“ You can see at once that the restriction of the clothing comes just over the part of the body where there is the least resistance.”
“Oh, yes, I remember about the seven upper ribs, that are fastened to both spine and breast-bone; and the five lower ribs, that are fastened directly only to the spine and are attached in front to the breast-bone by cartilage; and the two floating ribs, lowest of all, and fastened only to the spine. I have often wondered why the important organs of the abdominal cavity should not have been better protected.” ”

“ The eleventh and twelfth ribs can be felt even in corpulent persons, outside the erector spinæ, sloping downwards.
h. One should remember the fact that the sternal end of each rib lies on a lower level than its corresponding vertebra. For instance, a line drawn horizontally backwards from the middle of the third costal cartilage at its junction with the sternum, to the spine, would touch the body, not of the third dorsal vertebra, but of the sixth. Again, the end of the sternum would be on about the level of the tenth dorsal vertebra. ”

“ In the rib action, above alluded to, the lower ribs are controlled by the diaphragm which draws them slightly downward, while other muscles hold them in place and the intercostal muscles force them outward, which combined action increases the mid-chest cavity to its maximum. In addition to this muscular action, the upper ribs are also lifted and forced outward by the intercostal muscles, which increases the capacity of the upper chest to its fullest extent. ”

“ Each rib was formed of countless crystal plates like the plates of a paddle-wheel, and each tiny plate was incessantly vibrating up and down, carrying the restless little creature hither and thither as it pleased, and making it flash with their ceaseless movement like a balloon of sunbeams ”

“ From this part of each rib a strong flat muscle comes forward on each side, before the viscera, forming the abdominal muscles and uniting in a middle tendon, so that the lower half of each rib which is beyond the origin of this muscle, and which is only laterally connected to it by a loose cellular membrane, is external to the belly of the animal, and is used for the purpose of progressive motion, while that half of each rib which is next the spine, as far as the lungs extend, is employed in respiration. ”

“ Ribs and Costal Cartilages.—There are on each side of the thorax as many ribs as there are dorsal vertebræ. In animals, as in man, the ribs which articulate with the sternum by their cartilages are called true, or sternal ribs; those whose cartilages do not articulate with the sternum [18] are called false, or asternal. The longer ribs are those situated in the middle region of the thorax.
The ribs are directed obliquely downwards and backwards, and this obliquity is more marked in the posterior ones than in the anterior. They are, however, less oblique than in the human being ”

“ The same looseness of articulation is also found in the ribs of aquatic animals. In most animals, and in all those which walk erect, like the mammals, each rib is firmly attached to the backbone by two distinct joints, the head and tubercle, with an interval between them. This double attachment prevents much in-and-out movement of the ribs and gives a firm support for the attachment of the muscles of respiration, as well as for those supporting the viscera. ”

“ This last rib, when shut, flaps under the upper one, and also falls down with it before to the waist, but is not joined to the ribs below. Along the whole spine-bone runs a strong, flat, broad, grisly cartilage, to which are joined several other of these ribs; all which open horizontally, and are filled in the interstices with the above membrane, and are jointed to the ribs of the person just where the plane of the back begins to turn towards the breast and belly; and, when shut, wrap the body round to the joints on the contrary side, folding neatly one side over the other. ”

“ The ribs are not only capable of being distinguished, but may be clearly separated and counted one by one, and handled like so many pieces of cane; and, together with the skin which covers them, resemble more the hoops and outer covering of a small balloon, than any thing in the ordinary course of nature. ”

“ The rib develops from the ends of the vertebral bows, which, coming in contact with the muscle plates of their own segment of the body, are by the resulting bulging forced to expand, and later come together through the formation of the breastbone. ”

“ Rib.—The name given to any kind of cord effect or to a weave in which either, owing to the interlacing or to the yarns used, warp or weft is the stronger and remains comparatively straight while the weaker does all the bending. Thus, in warp ribs the weft is the stronger and causes the warp to bend and form a warp surface rib running from selvedge to selvedge, while in weft ribs the warp is the stronger and develops a weft surface rib running lengthways of the piece. ”

“ Steadily press forwards, raising the ribs, your own body being thus thrown leaning forward. This enlarges the cavity of the chest and causes air to enter. When the ribs have been raised to the utmost extent, with a slight effort push yourself back to the more erect position, allowing the ribs to recoil to their former position. ”

“ When you have attached the end blocks to the back, just the width of the ribs and the margin allowed when rib block was made firmly and without cramps, and dressed off next day, fit temporarily the set of ribs just made ready and clamp with the small wooden ones, as shown in fig. 17. You will have made both ends of rib somewhat longer than necessary, and, as they overlap, from inside mark where the top and bottom of linings are flush against blocks at each end. ”

“ With this column the broad ribs unite in the back, while in front they are held together by the sternum; and to make this cradle of bones more compact and fit to resist the action of the wings, and to protect the interior organs, the ribs touch each other with what the anatomists call "uncinate processes." Whoever is called upon to carve at the table a chicken or a turkey will experience how solid and protective the construction of the skeleton of the body is. ”

“ He lifts us to a sitting posture, places himself behind us, and folds his arms around our body, alternately tightening and relaxing his clasp, as if to test the elasticity of the ribs. Then seizing one arm, he draws it across the opposite shoulder, until the joint cracks like a percussion-cap. ”

“ The next pair are rather longer, the third longer still, and thus they go on increasing in length to the seventh pair, or last true ribs, after which the length diminishes, but without materially contracting the size of the cavity, because the false ribs only go round a part of the body. Hence the chest has a sort of conical shape, or it may be compared to a common beehive, the narrow pointed end being next the neck, and the broad end undermost; the natural form of the chest, in short, is just the reverse of the fashionable shape of the waist ”

“ The fore extremity of each rib consists not of bone, but of an elastic substance called cartilage. The elasticity of this substance, combined with the oblique position of the ribs, constitutes a beautiful provision, in consequence of which the chest enlarges and contracts its volume, to afford free play to the lungs. ”

“ It is there that the female ribs are flattened, and it is in this situation that the female waist exists. In man, when strongly formed, the ribs continue fully arched, much lower down, placing his waist between the last rib and the top of the haunches.
In man, the back is strong; in woman, the loins.
But probably the point wherein the tailor will learn the best lesson is the hips, as it will soon force itself to his notice in practice how very much extra the hips are developed in the female form than the male. ”

“ The ribs are connected to all the intervertebral spaces on the inside, from the neck to the lumbar region, by a small ligament, and before to the sternum, their extremities being spongy and soft; their form is the most arched in man of all animals; for in this part, man is, of all animals, the narrowest in proportion to his bulk. ”

“ To secure the elevation of the ribs the hands may be placed under the arms, as high as possible, fingers pointing down; then try to turn or press the ribs up and forward with strong action of hands, breathing freely and emphasizing strength in waist muscles. ”

“ Then the gentle pressure and squeezing must be carried all down the limb, avoiding any degree of pain, until all its muscles have had their share. While progressing down the limb with his rubbing, let the rubber be careful that the individual strokes of his hands be upwards, towards the hip. The blood will thus be propelled towards the heart, while the stimulus of rubbing is conveyed along the nerve trunks towards the foot. ”

“ The ultimate position of the limb and degree of shortening will depend much upon the extent to which the head and neck of the femur is destroyed, upon the inclination of the pelvis, and also upon the portion of the acetabulum which is most diseased. The joint becomes tender, the slightest motion causing much pain, and the parts around appear swollen. The patient retains the limb in the most comfortable position, and it is generally bent upon the pelvis and inverted. ”

“ All the vertebrae, except the atlas, carry ribs. These articulate by their capitular portions only, and are very movable in a head- and tail-ward direction. The ribs being long, and fitting with their ventral ends into the connective tissue of the sides of the ventral transverse scales, are the principal agents in pushing the body forwards, the posterior edges of these scales being sharp and imbricating.
The skin is covered with scales, absolutely devoid of osteoderms. When the scales are enlarged they are called shields. ”

“ In all dislocations of the elbow, when the bones are returned the limb should be bent to a right angle and put on a lateral angular splint for a week or ten days, after which time it should be worn in a sling a fortnight longer. ”

“ This accounts for the fact that a woman who has been accustomed to lace tightly, feels as if she "must fall to pieces" if she leaves off her stays. Next, they gradually press in the ribs, which in time become permanently deformed. (See Plate 2.) The ribs crush the lower part of the lungs, which are thus prevented from performing their due amount of work. Owing to their pressure the lower part of the chest cannot expand outwards, and it is also hindered from expanding downwards by the impeded action of the diaphragm. ”

“ The term "weft rib" is used to designate a weft surface weave in which, owing to the thickness of the warp threads or to the grouping together of a number of warp threads, the weft threads are made to bend round them and, being thus thrown to the surface of the fabric, produce a ribbed appearance with the ribs running lengthways, in which the weft threads are on the face of the fabric. ”

“ If no means are taken to replace the bone, and painful feelings subside along with the swelling, the limb remains long useless, and is the seat of occasional lancinating pains, but at last motion and utility are to a certain extent restored by the formation of a new joint—the head of the bone, and the parts on which it rests, mutually accommodating themselves to each other, by degrees, and permitting a limited extent of motion. ”