as small as a world and as large as alone

7:16pm July 30, 2013

biomedicalephemera:

Man, and the Lion

Both the anatomist and the artist can see here the vast difference in forelimb and hindlimb structure between the lion and man (provided solely for comparison). The forelimb of the lion is far thicker and sturdier than that of man, but the digits and bone layout are very much alike, save that the lion has but four digits on the hindlimb.

In the forelimbs, the lion has pronounced bony sheaths for its retractile claws, which form a very visible rounded enlargement at the end of the end of each toe. These are not nearly as evident on the hindlimbs, where a very slight indication of the claw can be seen at the end of the digit. Other things important to note are the tooth structure and arrangement, and what teeth are showing when a lion is attacking.

Together, the size and weight of the front limbs and their corresponding muscles, along with the teeth and jaws, can be said to be the characteristic points of the lion. The hind limbs, slender neck, vertebral column, and ribs, are only suggestive of the agility which allows this animal to use his front limbs and jaws with such power as to have rendered the figure of the Lion a symbol of strength, power, and destruction.

A Comparative View of the Human and Animal Frame. B. Waterhouse Hawkins, 1860.

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