CARE OF THE BODY’S INDIVIDUAL PARTS: BONES
The bones form the basic framework, or chassis, of the human body. There are 206 bones in the body. Some of these, such as the skull, which encloses the brain, the eyes, and the inner ear, have a chiefly protective function. Others are mainly supporting structures, such as the vertebral column with its 24 individual bones. This encases the vital spinal cord and also helps support the back. Other bones are concerned chiefly with movements.
Bones contain a hard, stony, chemical structure that gives them the tremendous strength required. Yet they are so marvellously constructed that they are resilient and light enough to permit the wonderful feats of agility of which the human being is capable. The basic chemical of bones is calcium phosphate, found so plentifully in milk. That is why milk is such a basic item in the diet of growing infants and children and is also very important for the pregnant or nursing mother.
As people grow older, their bones become more brittle and heal less readily. That is why physicians fear certain fractures in elderly people much more than in children and younger adults.
The bones have another quite different function in addition to those of protection, support, and movement. They are vital elements in the manufacture of the blood cells. The bone marrow does this important work. After the red and white blood cells are manufactured in the marrow of the various bones, these cells enter the blood to carry on the functions described in the section on blood.
The bone marrow requires nutrient foods and vitamins different from those needed by the hard, outer, calcified part of the bones. The red blood cells must have iron and proteins to build haemoglobin, their important oxygen-carrying pigment. Vitamins of the vitamin B family are required to nourish the bone marrow.
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