The Thorax.  -- The thorax derives its name from the Greek word thoreo, and signifies "I leap," because the heart leaps in it.  It is covered on the front part by large muscles; the pectoralis major, or large muscle of the breast, is observed on the left side of the chest, Wilson on the right it is removed and exposes the pectoralis minor, or small muscle of the breast.  The dovetailed muscle observed on each side is the Seratus Magnus, and is employed in expanding and contracting the chest in the act of breathing.  The muscles of the chest walls, in a deep inspiration, exert a force equal to lifting a weight of 750 pounds.

I do not know Greek but I found it interesting to learn that little bit of Greek above about the thorax.  It's a very descriptive word actually and I suspect if I understand it correctly preferring to the movement of the Adam's apple?  I would use the word Adam's apple is a form of layman term, and I'm somewhat surprised that they didn't use a layman term in their description as the audience for this book is supposed to be house wives and mothers.

Additional Articles from the Book of Medicine:

• The Shoulder Joint
  
  

  The Shoulder Joint. — The shoulder joint, formed as it is by the shoulder-blade (scapula), collarbone (clavicle), and the arm bone, is most beautifully designed and executed. It comprises a shallow ball and socket joint, the supporting the freest rotary movements. The shallowness of the socket, however, accounts for the frequent dislocations of this joint; but that is compensated for by the EC, graceful carriage and swaying of the arm, which is deeper socket would not permit.

  As in the section titled, “The Ribs” this section utilizes the word “freest”, I’m assuming this word is some sort of combination of the word free and est, which probably refers to the most amount of freedom allowed or something of that nature. Today we probably use the words maximum range of motion or maximum freedom war something of that nature. We might even use the word freest!

  Now, I’m not really a betting man. I like to play cards and Texas Hold ‘em especially, but I’d be willing to be that the word freest is not a real word anymore. I may not being hitting the poker tables anytime soon with other bets, but I’ll take that one any day of the week.

• How to Destroy the Breeding places of Mosquitoes Part 4
  
  

  How to Destroy the breeding places of mosquitoes.-every citizen should use his influence to have every village, city and state corporation appropriate money to eliminate all marshes by filling with soil, drain all stagnant streams and have kerosene oil spread on the surface of lakes, ponds or any other body of standing water, no matter how small. The object of using oil as to prevent the “wrigglers” and “tumblers” from getting air, for after leaving the eggs, they require air to develop. A film of oil prevents the “wrigglers” from getting the needed air and they are destroyed by choking. 1 ounce of oil is sufficient to cover 15 square feet of water. Oil should be applied and removed once a week during the breeding season. In standing water must be kept, screen the containers or keep tightly covered, so the females cannot deposit their eggs. Screen all doors and windows. But screams up early in the spring.

  So finally in the last paragraph the author drops a bombshell about who actually destroy mosquitoes. Surprisingly, the recommended procedure is to essentially contaminate and poison lake streams and cons with oil. While that recommendation might possibly stifle the development of mosquitoes, which I am actually somewhat doubtful about, it would also stifle the health of anyone that wanted to benefit from drinking that water or any animals for that matter. So this case the concept of position do no harm seems to trigger a scenario where this remedy is worse than the original problem, even though the author did not understand this concept 100 years ago probably.  Today, it is common knowledge and even a oil futures broker would be hard pressed to recommend this tactic.

• Cholera Infection
  
  

  Cholera Infection. — a few days after their return the same terrible disease rapidly attack other members of the household, so that, within a fortnight, and that one little circle, 11 person’s had been seized with cholera, including a mother, father, grandmother, two daughters, sons, doctor, serving lad, serving maid, labor and countrywoman, and of these 11 only three survived, namely, the Sun, a daughter and a serving lad. Later, in the countrywoman’s family, there was another fatal case. It cannot well be doubted, concluded Mr. Simon, but that the exciting cause of the succession of events was in some way or other the return of the parents from Weymouth-of the father with the remains of choleraic diarrhea upon him, of the mother with apparently the beginnings of the same complaint. But this is only part of the case, and the remainder teaches a most impressive lesson. All the drinking water used in the house came from a well beneath the floor of the scullery, and into that well there was habitual  soakage from the water closet.

  Now for some people reviewing 100 year old accounts of cholera epidemics might be about as exciting as reviewing marketing budgets and covering line items for promotional pens to insure that enough red pens versus blue pens have been ordered. That said this actually has some very interesting historical references in the next few sections so don’t miss them.