Anatomy of fingers

Fingers are tools that help to grasp objects. They are not created entirely fleshy, without bones, although this would give the opportunity to make various weak movements, as is the case with many worms and fish. The fingers have bones so that their actions are not weak, weaker than those of those who constantly shake, but they are not made of one bone, so that their actions are not hindered, as is the case with those suffering from convulsions. The number of bones is limited to three, since if their number were greater and this would lead to an increase in the number of movements of the finger, the consequence would necessarily be flabbiness and weakness in holding what needs to be held more firmly. In the same way, if the fingers were created with fewer than three bones, for example, if they were created from two bones, then the strength would be more sufficient, and the mobility would be less. And the fingers more need freedom, which promotes various movements, than strength, which crosses boundaries.

The fingers are made up of bones, the bases of which are wider and the heads narrower. The bones lying below gradually increase in size, so that the ends of the fingers are the thinnest, and this is so that there is a correct relationship between the bearer and the bearer. Their bones are designed to be round to protect them from damage; they are hard and do not contain cavities and marrow in order to be more stable when moving, grasping and pulling.

The bones of the fingers are made concave on the inside and convex on the outside, in order to hold well what they grasp and to properly rub and press what they rub and press. The parts of the fingers adjacent to one another do not have indentations or protrusions so that they fit well together, forming, as it were, something single when they need to perform the function of a single bone. However, the outermost fingers, like the thumb and little finger, are curved in the direction that does not touch the other fingers, so that all fingers, when compressed, take a round shape, protecting them from damage. The inside of the fingers is made fleshy to give them support and so that they can yield under the pressure of objects when grasping. And on the outside, the fingers are not created so that they are not heavy and so that their totality is a weapon that causes pain.

The fingers are rich in meat so that they are well positioned when in contact with each other, as if sticking to each other.

The middle finger is created with the longest joints, then comes the ring finger, then the index and then the little finger, so that when squeezed, their ends are level and there is no gap between them, and also so that the four fingers and the palm form a concavity over the grasped round object . The thumb "balances" the other four fingers, and if it were placed in another place, its usefulness would undoubtedly be lost.

The fact is that if the thumb were placed inside the palm, then we would be deprived of the ability to perform most of the actions available to us thanks to the palm, and if it were placed next to the little finger, both hands, when taking an object together, would not be facing thumbs one to the other; less so if the thumb were placed at the back.

The thumb is not connected to the metacarpus, so that the distance between it and the other fingers does not decrease. When four fingers are connected over an object on one side and the thumb opposes them on the other side, the palm can cover a large object. In another respect, the thumb serves as a kind of plug and closes from above what the hand is holding, while the little finger and ring finger are like a lid from below.

All phalanges of the fingers are connected by pits and protrusions included in them, between which there is viscous moisture. Their joints are covered by strong ligaments and connected by cartilaginous membranes. For greater strength, the gaps in the joints are filled with small bones called sesamoids.

Nails were created for four benefits. Firstly, so that they are protection for the fingers and the fingers would not weaken, tightly gripping any object, and secondly, so that the fingers have the opportunity to pick up small things from the ground; thirdly, so that they can be used for cleaning and scratching, and fourthly, so that nails can serve as weapons in some cases. The first three utilities are most closely related to the human race, and the fourth - to other animals. Nails are created with rounded ends for reasons that are known, and are made of soft bone so that they do not break if something gets under them. They are created to constantly grow, as they are subject to abrasion and are often torn off.