2146. At its two extremities there is preponderance of oxydation, whereby the soft osseous cysts are combusted into hard calcareous earth.
2147. The muscle is a cause of the alternating ossification.
RELATION TO THE OSSEOUS SYSTEM.
2148. As the formation of bone predominates upon the side exposed to the light or the nervous, so does that of muscle upon the shady or vascular side. The abdominal side of the animal is the muscular, just as the dorsal side is the osseous. Upon the thorax, abdomen, on the members which belong to the anterior region of the body, and on the face, the muscular layer is by far the most predominant. Posteriorly, however, or upon the back, it is slightly wanting, and the bones there project.
2149. The back is related to the anterior surface (when regarded in man) as bone is to muscle. What is in front is muscle, what is behind is bone. The anterior side is therefore more active, nobler, more powerful and more spiritual than the posterior. Posteriorly stands the earth inert and rigidified, while in front is the air in ceaseless capacity for, and actually in, motion. The anterior muscular layer is more active and powerful than the posterior.
2150. In every muscular cyst there are two kinds of layers, an anterior and a posterior, or stronger and weaker layer.
2151. The stronger layer is the flexing, the weaker the extending. For the limbs have been necessarily bent forwards. The direction alone of the joints at once resides in the structure, which is even determined by these relations. Such a muscular layer, which mostly consists of several bundles, is termed a muscle.
2152. A muscular cyst consists of flexor and extensor muscles. The individual muscle is therefore only a piece of a cyst, and therefore not in itself hollow. It is only an entire muscular layer of flexors and extensors which is the pattern of the heart. The flexors are the strongest and are placed in front, the extensors lie behind.
2153. In the heart the flexor layers have not yet separated from the extensor layers, because the vegetable flesh has as yet no symmetry in itself.
2154. Flexors and extensors occur in pairs; because the osseous system is in pairs.