Jackson's Gymnastics for the Fingers and Wrist / being a system of gymnastics, based on anatomical principles, for developing and strengthening the muscles of the hand for musical, mechanical and medical purposes: with thirty-seven diagrams

by Edwin Ward Jackson

[1] Joseph Hyrtl: Lehrbuch der Anatomie. 4te Auflage. Wien, 1855. Erasmus Wilson, F.R.S., System of Human Anatomy. 8th Edition. London, 1862.

CHAPTER II. THE MUSCLES OF THE HAND AND OF THE FINGERS.

Leaving aside the vessels and nerves unconnected with our subject, we may describe the hand as being composed of three classes of organs, 1. bones with joints, 2. ligaments, 3. muscles.

1. Bones with joints.

The hand is subdivided into five separate limbs (fingers), lying one at the side of the other, and being, at the lower end, firmly joined together into one whole. Each of these five limbs (fingers) is composed of a row of bones, having the nature of long bones. The first of these bones, next to the lower arm, is called the metacarpal or middle-hand bone (Fig. 1 a); the others are called finger-joints. The thumb has only two finger-joints, the other fingers three each. The fourth and fifth fingers are the weakest of all.

Fig. 1.

The union of the five fingers into one whole is effected by means of the extremities of the middle-hand bones, commonly known as knuckles, which are turned towards the forearm, being connected with one another by very tight transversal ligaments (Fig 2 aa and Fig. 3 bb), and being thus connected, are again fixed to a row of four roundish bones, joined to one another in the same manner (Fig. 1 b). Thus, the five middle-hand bones and the four bones of the upper wrist form one firm structure. In this structure the middle-hand bone of the thumb and of the little finger can be more easily moved than the others.

Fig. 2.